MUSBA HASHMI speaks with SHAKIR and RIHAN about their journey to America’s Got Talent, how they came together as a team and the hurdles they crossed to reach the stage

There are many rags to riches stories that inspire us so much so that we find a direct connect forthwith. One such story is of two brothers, hailing from Shikar, a village in Rajasthan — Shakir and Rihan.

Their journey from dancing in regional competitions to reaching America’s Got Talent (AGT) is an example of how sheer hard work and dedication can take you places.

Destiny surprised Shakir in March, when he got a call from the show’s team saying that they are welcome to audition for it.

“It was a dream come true. At first, I couldn’t believe what I heard on the phone. It took me a few seconds to comprehend what had been said. Then I was on cloud nine,” Shakir, who is 21, tells you.

The duo then flew to America before the lockdown happened to audition for the first round.

“We have cleared round one. We got a standing ovation from the judges. Once things are back to normal, we will be performing in the elimination round,” Shakir says, who got interested in dancing when he was just 8.

“My elder brother loves dancing. I used to see his moves and that’s how I got interested. Gradually, it became my passion. I took no professional training until I turned 18,” he tells you.

 It took Shakir years of practise and hard work to reach this stage. “I used to work at a car puncture shop. I had to leave my studies when I was in Class VIII. But never gave up on dance. I would wake up at 5, rehearsed till 8 in the morning and then go to work,” he tells you.

Taking up dance was not at all easy for Shakir as he received a lot of resistance from family and friends.

“My family told me not to waste time dancing and focus on my work. The neighbours mocked as well. I had to face their taunts every day. So much so that I started changing my route in order to save myself from the jibes. Some people even asked their children to not be seen with me as I would spoil them as well. But I was determined that I had to do something big in life and I braved everything that came my way,” he tells you.

The reason why Shakir decided to team-up with his eight-year-old cousin, Rihan, was because he too had the passion for dance.

“Rihan saw me dancing and he got interested. Initially, I thought he is doing it for fun. I was apprehensive about whether he would be able to match my moves since he is so young. But, when I saw his love and dedication, I made him my partner,” he says.

Both of them now practise for eight hours a day. “Rihan is a good learner. He catches all the moves at one go. It took a lot of effort to make him comfortable with duo performance and now that he has learnt it well, my solo performance has become a little weak,” Shakir says with a laugh.

For Rihan, dancing is all about relieving worries and having fun. “I enjoy dancing a lot. Shakir bhai is a great team member. He guides me well,” Rihan says and adds that during rehearsals Shakir acts more like his mentor.

“Whenever Shakir bhai scolds me during rehearsals, I hit back at him saying: Daanto mat na, kar lunga main. Then he smiles and asks me to do it correctly,” Rihan tells you.

The two have performed in shows like Dance Plus 5, where they were among the 30 finalists and India’s Got Talent. 

“The shows have changed our lives. My family was extremely happy that I managed to do something in life. After the shows, our videos went viral on YouTube and everyone in our village has seen them. People come to my home to click selfies. Some even tell my dad: Arey aap ka beta to TV par aaya, dancer ban gaya hai, aap to bade aadmi ban gaye hain ab. It feels good when I see that smile and satisfaction on my parents’ faces,” Shakir tells you.

Shakir’s dream is to win Dance Plus once. “My goal is to win the show, if not, then I want to be the runner-up at least,” Shakir says.

On the other hand, Rihan’s dream is to be a good dancer and make his parents proud. “I just want to become a good dancer, so that my parents will be happy and I can see that smile on their face,” Rihan tells you.

(AGT is streaming on Voot Select and will be airing soon on  Colors Infinity in India)