MUMBAI: “Stripping is an art,” Raj Kumar aptly points out about a profession that is dreaded the most in a nation as conservative as India. While there have been often rumours about celebrities entering the world of exotic dancing, to have an alternative income, no one ever had the guts to come out transparent. Kumar used MTV Roadies as a stepping stone to enter the world of glamour and entertainment. A ballet dancer by profession, the lad was seen in the 11th season of the youth based reality show and was quite a controversial one.
In an EXCLUSIVE and EXPLOSIVE interview with TellyChakkar, Raj, who has been doing pole dancing for a while, confesses of being a professional stripper.
Kumar, last seen in Zee TV’s Kaleerien, raised eyebrows when he started doing pole dancing along with Kalyug fame actress Smilie Suri. While his Instagram was a window for people to see him romancing the pole, what many didn’t know was his other side of exotic dancing. In a conversation with TellyChakkar, Raj narrates why and how he entered the world of unwonted entertainment.
“Roadies gave me instant fame and then Jaat Ki Jugni (Sony TV) happened but that got shutdown in three months. It was heartbreaking for me and I went into depression,” he confesses, adding, “Living alone in Mumbai and paying bills without work is not easy. One day a female friend of mine approached me. She asked me if I can strip for a ladies night. I immediately said yes since I was always a dancer and had the confidence to do it.”
Kumar, without any inhibitions, avowed that he was getting a tidy sum for the one night, which became a motivation for his breakthrough.
“I was getting 40 thousand for the same and I didn’t feel anything wrong,” he says.
The first thing that would come to one’s mind is ‘how comfortable one can be while stripping?’
Raj has a pragmatic response that will open your mind to a new perspective. “Pole dance and stripping is an art. It needs body, sensuality, confidence and moves. Taking out clothes on music and performing those moves on pole is not that easy as it looks,” he quips.
The 26-year-old is very particular about keeping his work clean and also clears the air that he is not into escort services. “There are people who indulge in sex activity after strip or pole and it’s completely their choice. I can’t comment on that as it’s their life but for me it’s an art and I only believe in visual performance and nothing attached to this, except happiness.”
Unlike others who are discreet, Raj has no qualms opening about it. He is not scared to talk about it in a dyed-in-the-wool society. “I’m not doing anything wrong that I should be scared of. I just spread love and happiness through my art,” he declares. The undaunted lad brazenly dances on the pole and posts it on his social media profiles, as he says, “an artist should always explore”. On the other hand, his exotic dancing is limited to private parties in India, as well as abroad.
After being a part of a popular reality TV show and several daily soaps, the popularity and the fame has helped Raj in his exotic career. “Yes, it helps being a celebrity as a stripper. People still say ‘Raj Kumar Roadies wala’. Also, once I perform for some clients they recommend me to others. So I get crème audience.”
After being in the industry for two years, the artist, as he calls himself, has no pangs of conscience and doesn’t feel the need to have one. “I don’t regret! It gives me immense happiness performing this art and it gives me money which pays my bills.” Talking about his friends, he says, “I don’t have many friends but my best buddies know about it and they are proud of me.”
He continues, “I came across people who look at me like I am a criminal. Spreading happiness and love with your talent is not wrong. People who find this wrong are actually ashamed of their own body so they find people vulgar who expose their body or perform such dance.”
When asked about the grapevine of numerous celebrities being into the field of adult entertainment, Raj gives us a shocker. “I won’t take names but our industry has lots of escorts. I haven’t heard of much who are into stripping barring a few big names,” he concludes.
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