Shailendra Singh Directs Guerrilla Home-Video On ‘Bad Boy Of Ballet’, Sergei Polunin

The film titled 'Sergei', is based on Shailendra Singh's travels with the award-winning international Ballet Dancer, Sergei Polunin.

New Delhi: Entertainment and Sports Guru Shailendra Singh, who has creatively produced over 72 feature films, has made yet another film. This one, titled 'Sergei', is based on his travels with the award-winning international Ballet Dancer, Sergei Polunin. The film follows the two creative geniuses as they travel through some of the most holy places in India and discuss matters of art, life, and death – things that Sergei has rarely spoken about before. Shailendra guides Sergei on a search for creative inspiration through the ghats of Varanasi, the palaces of Jaipur and the cleansing waters of Rishikesh. A special screening of the film SERGEI on 27 March 2020 is perfectly timed with Sergei’s performance in Mumbai on Sunday, 29 March 2020 at the Royal Opera House. Sergi will be performing Sacré, which is a revisited version of a ballet piece originally created by director and choreographer Emanuel Gat to Stravinsky's eponymous score back in 2004. Sergei started his dancing career at the age of 13 and has received numerous awards, including the Prix de Lausanne, Youth America Grand Prix and in 2007 was named the Young British Dancer of the Year. He also starred in the music video ‘Take Me To Church’ by Hozier which has over 27 million views on Youtube. In 2019, Polunin danced the role of ‘Romeo’ in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ choreographed by Johan Kobborg in the Arena of Verona to over 10,000 members of the audience and to critical acclaim. Shailendra, speaking about the film, said that Polunin had immediately accepted his invitation to come to India after the two had met backstage in Amsterdam after the latter's performance. "I could feel his energy. Sergei was searching for something. I knew India would have a profound impact on him. The next thing we know we were travelling to Varanasi. We travelled to the holy places including the sacred banks of the Ganges River. Since he left India, he has been performing and impressing audiences all around the world." Singh added that Polunin completely immersed himself in the mystical experiences and the mind space he found himself at the stage in his life. "We had just one camera with us and shot guerilla-style wherever we went. But I knew that it was important to record the journey. Sergei’s dance reflects elements of humankind and truth and will definitely inspire the next generation of Indian dancers," Shailendra stated. Sergei sounding tremendously excited about his tour in India said that India has a special place in his heart, "India can teach you lessons either in a nice or harsh way. Varanasi was a special experience for me as I watched the fires of the cremations. Dipping myself in the river at Rishikesh was another beautiful moment. I look forward to coming back to spend more time with Shailendra and perform for the first time in India."