MUMBAI: Longinus Fernandes, who choreographed the famous Jai Ho number for Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, has won the Astair Award 2009 in the best Film Choreographer category in New York for the movie.
While Fernandes’ name was missed out in the Slumdog Millionaire credits, Boyle made up by acknowledging him at the Oscars.
He was the only Indian choreographer competing with some of the big time choreographers of Hollywood like Anthony Van Laast for Mamma Mia, Kenny Ortega for High school musical, Aakomon Jones for Center Stage Turn It Up, Tracy Phillips for Make It Happen, Todd Underwood for Were the World Mine and Patrick de Bana and Pedro Gomes for Fados.
By winning this award he has become the first Indian to win this prestigious choreography award.
Speaking to Businessofcinema.com, Fernandes said, "I feel I have always done good work and I am feeling truly blessed and happy at the moment. I am happy especially for my family and friends who have always had faith in me. But most of all I am proud that I have made my country proud."
Fernandes has recently completed work on a Hollywood project, which is a mini series called Bollywood Heroes, and is slated to release in August all over Europe, Canada and the US.
Fernandes, who is a close friend of director Madhur Bhandarkar, has done most of Bhandarkar’s films. He is also working on Jail. Besides that he is working with Himesh Reshammiya for a film under-production and Tigmanshu Dhulia for Showman at the moment.
Talks are also on for a few Hollywood projects, he says, "Once things are finalized I will talk about it."
