Katrina Kaif was humiliated for her dancing skills, told to 'quit': Choreographer Bosco Martis

A still from Sheila Ki Jawaani song

Katrina Kaif is widely considered one of Bollywood's finest dancers. With songs like Sheila Ki Jawani, Kaala Chashma and Kamli, the actress has consistently showcased her impeccable moves. But did you know there was a time when Katrina was humiliated for her dancing on a film set?

In a recent podcast, choreographer Bosco Martis recalled how Sheila Ki Jawani became a turning point in Katrina's career. Farah added that the actor went from being a four in dance to a 10 after her performance in the song.

Farah Khan and Bosco talk about Katrina Kaif's dance skills

Bosco said, "Sheila Ki Jawani was a game changer for Katrina Kaif." To this, Farah responded, "Yes, it was, but at that time we didn't know that Katrina could dance. She had done Touch Me, Touch Me, but she was not known as a dancer. Her first song that I choreographed was Just Chill (Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya)."

Bosco then added, "Unka bhi kaafi stories hain jahan par unhone itna mehanat kiya tha but choreographer told Katrina, ‘Aap zero ho dance mein, toh aapko chodh dena chahiye (They also have many stories where they worked extremely hard, but a choreographer told Katrina, ‘You are zero when it comes to dancing, so you should quit)'. So she must have that angst in her too."

Farah said, "Haye bechari, zero toh nahi rahi hogi voh; she must have been 4 or 5, but after Sheila Ki Jawaani, she became 9 or 10. After that, Chikni Chameli, Kala Chashma came (Oh, poor thing! She wouldn't have remained a zero. She must have been a four or five, but after Sheila Ki Jawaani, she became a nine or ten. After that came Chikni Chameli and Kala Chashma)."

About the song Sheila Ki Jawani

During the conversation, Farah also said that Sheila Ki Jawani was the "cheapest" song she had choreographed. Released in 2010 as part of Farah Khan's film, Tees Maar Khan, the song changed the way Bollywood looked at item numbers. Composed by the music duo Vishal-Shekhar and sung by Sunidhi Chauhan, the song quickly became a viral sensation with its trendy beats, stylish choreography and fresh lyrics.

Meanwhile, Katrina has been away from films for the last two years and has been embracing her motherhood journey. Married to Vicky Kaushal, the couple welcomed their son, Vihaan Kaushal, on November 7, 2025. She was last seen in the 2024 release Merry Christmas, which also featured Vijay Sethupathi in the lead role