When you have conquered the world, and when then there are no greater milestones to achieve; the best place to return and take a breather is in one’s home-ground.
That is what Longinus Fernandes the choreographer of Slumdog Millionaire’s song – Jai Ho has decided and he is back to his motherland. He is back and all set to rock not only the Bollywood, but as he speaks to Paresh B. Mehta, Editor of Filmytown.com, “Now the field is much wider – the Indian film industry to explore!”
Longinus Fernandes
He is one of the most admired choreographers in Bollywood and at the 81st Academy Awards ceremony, director Danny Boyle while receiving his award for Best Direction for Slumdog Millionaire, thanked him in his acceptance speech for the choreography of the song while apologising for missing out Longinus Fernandes in the credits as the choreographer of the dance song ‘Jai Ho’.
Son of a Radio Officer Arnold Fernandes, in the Indian Navy, Longinus Fernandes schooled in St Mary’s School in Byculla in South Mumbai and comes from a non-filmy family.
Flair for entertaining and performing since school days
Along with the regular education Saint Mary’s has taught me a lot. And when I say taught me a lot, it means not only about being an educated bloke, but it’s also about how you educate yourself in various other manners. When it comes to talking to others, when it comes to behaving, when it comes to listening, when it comes to playing, when it comes to, you know, studying, so on and so forth. I was fortunate enough when it came to extracurricular activities, which is at the highest level in Saint Mary’s. I used to be on stage for singing and acting, then on the football field, on the sports field, and I’m glad that I excelled in all these spheres.
Dance Competition at the Sea Rock Hotel in Bandra
During the earlier days there was Sea Rock Hotel (1987) in Bandra and there was a dance competition and I won the first prize that of dream bike the RX Yamaha. It was during the competition that I met Choreographer Farah Khan while she in college that time.
It doesn’t matter where you’re going in life. It always matters where you’re coming from. Being rich, being poor is all secondary. If you have got good ethics in life, people will always want you. And if you want to sustain in this business for long, apart from being good in what you do, one also has to be a good human being first.
‘Farah Khan has always been supportive of me’
Farah Khan had already hit it big with Jo Jeeta Woh Sikandar, hence it was a good word from Farah that Avatar Bogle, the director, producer, filmmaker signed me for Dil Ka Doctor which had Anupam Kher. I went into a different zone as I made the nurses look very sexy and very prim and proper, very dainty and it looked good for them for the dance in the film. And there were some great guys who have been my students and I’m very proud of them. One of them was Salman Khan. One of them was Akshay Kumar, Ayesha Jhulkha, Sonu Walia for free style dancing, it was all new age.
Special mention on the Oscar’s stage by Danny Boyle
After choreographing for Saawariya, Guzaarish, My friend Pinto and Shirin Farhad ki Nikal Padi I received a call from Danny Boyle’s office. Danny liked the madness in my songs and he instantly signed me for Slumdog Millionaire, and it was the month of September 2007. We shot for 5 days at VT station and we had about 3,000 and people in the background. I learnt men management, time management and what it is to make look things effective with simplicity. Slumdog Millionaire released and the song Jai Ho was a chartbuster, but Danny realized that my name was missing from the Credits list in the end. “I will surely make it up in abundance for my mistake,” Danny pacified me with these words and in his speech on the stage of Oscars, he announced to the world, “There is one man I would like to make a special mention, his name is Longinus Fernandes and I thank him from the bottom of my heart.”
Longinus did Eat Pray Love featuring Julia Roberts, Way to live, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Judi Dench, Richard Gere), Bollywood Hero, So you think you can Dance (2009-10-11), The halftime show for Orange Bowl convention in Miami with about 500 dancers and that was a big honour for him. “I fulfilled my childhood dream by doing Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical”.
Instagram: longinusfernandes
