Monalisa Patsani
post news network
Bhubaneswar: When he moved to Mumbai, he never thought a day would come in his life when he would count among achievers. Vikram Swain, who hails from Antarigam in Ganjam district, has proved the adage ‘Where there is a will there is a way’.
Vikram did many odd jobs from the age of 9 to help earn a living and for the upkeep of his family, he is now personal trainer to actor Tiger Shroff. Vikram used to be ridiculed as a dull and naughty kid but the spotlight is now firmly on him. His success story, which perhaps could make good script for a film, is now an inspiration for many who dream to be something.
“I was very weak in studies and was never interested in studies. Moreover I belonged to a family of poor means; my father was a factory worker in Surat. So I ended up doing sundry jobs to help with the family finances. I worked at an embroidery shop in Surat for two years and returned to my village. In 2008 my friends and I along set out for Mumbai and started working in a factory that made goggles.”
In Mumbai, he picked up a taste for dance. “I can’t stay still for a minute. Whenever I used to get time after work I used to visit Juhu beach. One day I saw children practicing gymnastics there. That reminded me of what we used to do on the riverbed in our village. I had no means to enrol in a gymnastics programme. So I used to observe these kids and imitate them on Juhu beach.”
In 2009, Vikram was practicing as usual on Juhu beach, when Tiger Shroff approached him. He wanted Vikram to train him his style. “Tiger used to jog at Juhu. He had seen me practicing every day. When he came and asked me if I could teach him gymnastics I just nodded. I could barely speak Hindi. From that day we started practicing and became friends. He taught me Hindi, gave me a mobile and taught me how to use it. He used to show me dance videos on YouTube and we would practice the moves. Later he introduced me to his dance trainer and I learned dance.”
Tiger made Vikram his official trained after he signed up for the movie ‘Heropanti’, his debut in films. “Tiger visited the factory I used to work in and asked me to leave that job and join him as personal trainer,” Vikram recalls.
He has worked as assistant choreographer with Ahmed Khan in movies including ‘Heropanti’, ‘Hero’, ‘Kick’, ‘Phantom’, ‘Kis Kis Ko Pyaar Karoon’, ‘Ek Paheli Leela’, and ‘Airlift’. “I am learning lots and hope that one day I, too, can be a choreographer too.”
Gratitude becomes his middle name when Vikram speaks of Tiger. “He is the one who gave me a life and an identity. I will work with Tiger and never leave his side.”
Right now Vikram is working on films including ‘A Flying Jatt’ with Tiger Shroff and Jacqueline Fernandez as the lead pair and ‘Kaabil’ starring Hrithik Roshan. “I don’t have any dream right now. I will continue to work hard. Hunger has taught me lots, so I will learn and show things that people love,” he says.