- Dhurandhar 1 popularised Balochi Chaap dance with FA9LA, a Bahraini track, creating a viral moment
- Dhurandhar 2 features Ranveer Singh and uses Algerian rai music "Didi" instead of FA9LA for fresh energy
- Dhurandhar 2 blends Balochi Chaap circle dance with Taasheer's downward rifle firing and jumps
When Dhurandhar first dropped, it wasn't just the plot or performances that stuck with audiences. It was the soundtrack and a dance form many had never seen before.
With Dhurandhar 2 too, things get a little more interesting.
How Dhurandhar Made FA9LA And Balochi Chaap A Moment
In the first film, Akshaye Khanna's Sher-e-Baloch entry to FA9LA became an instant cultural moment. The use of Balochi Chaap, with its tight circular formation, rhythmic clapping, and rising tempo, gave the sequence an authenticity that audiences latched onto.
The dance itself, traditionally performed in Balochistan, thrives on repetition and unity. Men move in a circle, clapping in sync, feet stomping to the beat of the dhol and sorna. It's hypnotic. And in Dhurandhar, it became a viral moment.
FA9LA, originally a Bahraini track, got a second life through that sequence. Suddenly, a regional folk dance and an Arabic song collided on a Bollywood screen, and it worked.
A New Sher-E-Baloch, A New Rhythm
With Ranveer Singh stepping in as Hamza Ali Mazari, the new Sher-e-Baloch, the sequel mirrors the first film's iconic entry but swaps out the sonic and visual cues just enough to feel fresh.
Instead of FA9LA, the film leans on Didi, the 1992 classic rai (a popular Algerian music genre that originated in the 1920s in Oran, blending traditional folk with Western pop, jazz, and electronics) by Khaled.
The shift from a Bahraini beat to Algerian rai already changes the texture of the scene. Rai, with its emotional intensity and layered instrumentation, brings a different kind of energy.
The dance is still recognisably Balochi Chaap. The circle remains. The claps remain. Yet, something about the high-energy moments, particularly the use of rifles, feels a little different this time.
The Subtle Saudi Twist
While the choreography stays anchored in Balochi Chaap, some sequences, especially those involving downward gunfire and explosive jumps, seem to echo another tradition entirely: Taasheer.
A video by Voice of America has previously documented Taasheer, a traditional Saudi war dance from the Hijazi region. In it, performers leap into the air and fire rifles toward the ground, creating bursts of sparks and smoke beneath their feet.
That visual language feels eerily similar to what we see in Dhurandhar 2.
In classic Chaap, rifle use exists, but it typically involves coordinated upward firing or dramatic flourishes within a group circle. In Taasheer, the focus is sharper and more individualistic: jump, fire downward, land, repeat. Dhurandhar 2 appears to sit right between the two.
The dancers remain in a Chaap-style circle, but the choreography occasionally borrows Taasheer's signature move: the downward shot followed by a jump.
The History Behind The Moves
Balochi Chaap is not just a dance; it's a memory of conflict and community. Historically, it functioned as a war dance, a way to build morale before battle. The tight circle symbolised unity. The synchronised claps reinforced rhythm and discipline. Over time, as warfare receded from everyday life, the dance transitioned into celebrations, weddings, festivals, and moments of pride.
Balochi Chaap is not just a dance; it's a memory of conflict and community. Photo: Wikicommons
The rifle variants came later, intensifying the performance. In these versions, dancers carry firearms, often firing blanks in coordinated bursts. One of the most striking techniques involves pointing the rifle downward, firing toward the sky, and leaping at the exact moment of discharge.
This act, symbolically, mimics a warrior striking the ground, asserting dominance, power, and presence.
Taasheer: The Parallel Story From Saudi Arabia
Taasheer, meanwhile, evolved along a similar yet distinct trajectory. Originating in western Saudi Arabia, particularly around Taif, it too began as a martial display. Dancers used muzzle-loading rifles, firing them during choreographed jumps to boost morale and demonstrate agility.
Its origins trace to ancient military parades in the Hijaz region, where warriors used early firearms to hype battles, likely centuries ago, amid Ottoman or pre-Ottoman eras.
Unlike Chaap's group-centric circular formation, Taasheer often leans into individual performance. The dancer becomes the focal point, executing precise jumps while firing toward the ground, creating dramatic bursts of light and smoke.
Over centuries, Taasheer transitioned from battlefield preparation to celebration, much like Chaap. Today, it is performed at weddings, festivals, and cultural showcases, with organised revivals and competitions in recent years.