The OG “Ramba Ho” dancer Kalpana Iyer reflects on today’s entertainment industry with a perspective shaped by an era when dancers were indispensable to cinema, yet rarely central to its power structure. Her recent remarks praising global star Nora Fatehi go far beyond admiration — they highlight a fundamental shift in how dancers are perceived, valued, and positioned within Bollywood and on the global stage.
Kalpana recalls a time when dancers were remembered for fleeting moments rather than enduring careers. While today many leading actresses incorporate dance into larger, more prominent film roles, she acknowledges that before this transformation fully took hold, Nora Fatehi carved out a singular and unprecedented space for herself. “Until they started happening, she was the queen,” Kalpana notes, recognising how Nora defined popular dance culture during a phase when few others commanded similar attention or influence.
Highlighting Nora’s strategic choices, Kalpana points out her ability to expand beyond conventional film roles. “She doesn’t depend only on movies. She’s smart enough to take the decision,” she says, underscoring a clarity and foresight that dancers of earlier generations rarely had the opportunity to exercise. This independence, Kalpana believes, allowed Nora to evolve with changing industry dynamics rather than be confined by them.
What truly marks the evolution, however, is how Nora Fatehi has expanded the ecosystem of dance and performance itself. In recent years, she has delivered electrifying performances on international stages, collaborated with global music artists on tracks like Snake with Jason Derulo, Oh Mama! Tetema featuring Rayvanny, and Just A Girl with Shenseea. Alongside these, she has made prominent appearances at major international award ceremonies, led high-impact brand campaigns, and cultivated a powerful digital and pop-culture presence far beyond Hindi cinema.
Her appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon marked her first American television debut — a milestone that firmly positioned her as a global performer and not merely a Bollywood dance sensation. For Kalpana Iyer, this journey reflects a generational shift — from dancers being background contributors to becoming independent cultural forces in their own right.