How Dharmesh Yelande Turned Hard Times into a Dance Career

Mumbai, October 30: Dharmesh Yelande is now a recognised name in the dance industry, working as a dancer, choreographer, actor and reality show personality. The journey that brought him here was marked by financial strain, odd jobs and repeated setbacks, but he kept pushing forward.

His early life was shaped by money worries. To pursue his passion, he had to take on whatever work was available, including a peon's job and a food cart business. Each role helped him stay afloat while he worked toward his goal of building a career in dance.

Yelande was born on October 31, 1983, in Vadodara, Gujarat. His father owned a small shop. Dharmesh loved dance from childhood and often copied the moves of actor Govinda on television. His first major public success came when he won a dance competition in sixth grade. His father then made an effort to enroll him in a dance class despite the family's financial limitations.

The household faced serious pressure when the municipal corporation demolished his father's shop. The father started a tea stall, which generated about Rs 50 to 60 daily. With four family members to support, the earnings were not enough. Dharmesh's interest in studies waned, and at 19 he dropped out of college to earn a living.

He worked as a peon, receiving around Rs 1,600 a month. In addition to his job, he taught children dance and went to his own practice sessions afterwards.

As he revealed in an interview, Dharmesh also ran a misal pav cart near his father's tea shop in Vadodara. He chose this line of work because it allowed him to practise dance. This arrangement helped him support his family and maintain his aspirations at the same time. He also worked as a background dancer in a film during this phase.

Dharmesh later moved to Mumbai, where he competed in the dance reality show 'Boogie Woogie' and emerged as the winner. The Rs 5 lakh prize helped him clear his father's outstanding debt. However, the film industry did not open its doors easily. He spent close to two years trying to secure lead roles, but without success. As money problems resurfaced, he had to return to Vadodara.

Soon afterwards, he auditioned for the second season of 'Dance India Dance' and was selected. Although he did not take the title, his performances stood out, especially his flute music routine, which drew praise. Subsequently, he received offers from many dance shows and started working with well-known performers. He also choreographed stars such as Katrina Kaif.

In 2015, he became a mentor on 'Dance Plus' and stayed with the show for several seasons. He further established his presence on 'Dance Deewane'.

His film break came through choreographer and director Remo D'Souza. In 2013, Dharmesh played the main role in 'ABCD: Any Body Can Dance', where his character was named Danish. He later appeared in 'ABCD 2' and acted in 'Banjo', 'Nawabzaade' and 'Street Dancer 3D'. He was also linked with the Gujarati film 'Safalta 0 Km'. He took part in 'Khatron Ke Khiladi 10' as well and became the second runner-up.