When Dhurandhar released, one moment quietly but decisively took over social media feeds. The now-viral Fa9la song, especially Akshaye Khanna's entry, dance moves and coronation sequence, became one of those rare cinematic instances that audiences couldn't stop replaying. Interestingly, according to choreographer Vijay Ganguly, the man behind the song's staging, it was also one of the most effortless sequences they shot on the film.
Pegged on Akshaye Khanna's sheer focus and instinctive brilliance on set, Vijay's recollection of shooting Fa9la reveals how magic sometimes happens when preparation meets honesty.
Talking about working with Akshaye Khanna, Vijay describes him as intensely quiet and deeply immersed in his craft. “He's a very quiet person,” Vijay shares. “So the interaction with him is mostly about explaining what is happening in the shot. It's about highs and byes. But once he's in the middle of a take, he's completely in his zone. He'll be sitting there, doing his thing. He doesn't go to the van, he doesn't wander around. He's always in character.”
That discipline, Vijay says, is inspiring to witness. “When the shot is ready, he's ready. You really see how seriously he takes his work. It's amazing to see someone so committed.”
The Fa9la sequence itself was designed as a powerful entry moment. Akshaye's character steps out of the car, walks into a celebratory space, and is ceremonially seated as a turban is placed on his head. What makes the sequence iconic, however, is what happened just moments before the camera rolled.
“Akshaye told Aditya sir that when I enter, I am going to dance,” Vijay recalls. He watched the background dancers closely, observed their movements, and absorbed the rhythm of the moment. “Then the camera rolled, and he did what you see in the video. That was one take. That's it.”
They reviewed the take immediately and knew they had it. The entire sequence was wrapped up in under two hours. No overthinking, no multiple retakes, no grand choreography breakdowns. “It was all impromptu. Everything was last minute. We honestly never expected it to become this big.”
Today, that exact moment is what audiences can't stop talking about. “I still can't digest that Fa9la is a hit,” Vijay admits candidly. “It's literally a scene where he enters, sits, and gets coronated. That piece has gone so viral that I'm getting calls and congratulations constantly. And that was the most effortless thing we did.”
For Vijay, the success of the song reinforces a simple belief. “Some things are just meant to work. You just have to be honest with what you're doing and stay true to the story.”
The shoot, however, wasn't without challenges. Fa9la was filmed in Ladakh, where low oxygen levels made even basic movement difficult. The crew had to arrive days in advance to acclimatise. Akshaye Khanna reached a day before his shoot and seemed fine through the song sequence. But later, during lunchtime, concerns arose when his oxygen levels dipped slightly.
“We were told we might have to shoot some additional song bits while he rested,” Vijay recalls. “And while we were discussing this, we suddenly saw his car coming onto the set.”
What followed left the entire unit stunned. Akshaye stepped out wearing an oxygen mask, carrying a small cylinder, and walked straight onto the set. “He didn't wait, didn't complain, didn't say a word. He just came and did his bit perfectly. No flinching, no excuses.”
For Vijay and the crew, it became a defining moment. “It was inspirational. Hundreds of people are on set, everyone is giving their time. He just wanted to make sure nobody's effort went to waste. That kind of passion teaches you so much.”
Beyond the set, Vijay credits his family, especially his sister, television star Rupali Ganguly, for being his strongest support system. “Rupali is my biggest cheerleader. Every time my song releases, she's the first to post about it,” he says with a smile. “But she's also brutally honest.”
He often shows her his work before release, and she never sugarcoats her feedback. While editing another song, Shararat, Vijay admits he felt he could have added more detailing because of how quickly it was shot. Rupali's response was instant. “She saw it and said, this is a hit. This song is going to work.” And now that people are loving the Shararat song she says, “See, I told you.”
The success of Fa9la, on the other hand, came with its own surprise. Shot with minimal fuss, driven by instinct, and anchored by Akshaye Khanna's unwavering focus, the sequence stands as a reminder that not every iconic moment is planned to perfection. Some are born in silence, shaped by trust, honesty, and an actor completely immersed in his zone.
