The untold story of Indian slum dance group at ‘AGT’

America has talent

America’s Got Talent has been on the air for 13 years and not once, I repeat, not once has a foreign group won the title. Can Indian dance group V. Unbeatable beat this record on AGT? Let’s talk about it.

While there is enough buzz about the Unbeatable V in India and now America, here’s a piece of the story you might not have heard before.

V Unbeatable: the untold story of the Indian AGT candidates

“After I finished class 10, I ran away from home to come to Mumbai,” Om Prakash told Reddiff.com. “I took on a few odd jobs until I found work in a store selling sunglasses.”

“A few years ago, I came to know this place where street boys came to practice b-boying. As I loved dancing, I started to rehearse with them, to learn the movements. I didn’t have the money to go to a dance school, so I learned from everything I saw, from whoever was willing to teach me.

V Unbeatable team member.

Ten years later, Om Prakash Chauhan directs a dance group of 28 students from the slums of Mumbai.

That’s how he met Vikas, the name Team V Unbeatable carries with them with every performance.

“Everything I learned in dance is thanks to him. Vikas and I started our own Unbeatable dance group where we trained the slum kids in our free time.

“Vikas had an unfortunate accident and lost his life. It was a big setback for all of us, ”added Chauhan.

The name of the unbeatable V before V and the Vikas on their T-shirt

“Six years ago we were doing rehearsals and suddenly (a) mishap happened,” said a member of the group. “(Vikas Gupta) fell and his body was paralyzed from (the neck) down. After a few weeks he passed away and we were all broken.

Whenever the group performs they pay tribute to Vikas by adding Vikas name on their team jersey.. After his death, the group first broke up and they changed their group’s name to V Unbeatable after Vikas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWCDJnnxOSY

All of the members of Group V Unbeatable come from financially difficult backgrounds.

“One of them (members of the team) works as a bus driver for a school bus and devotes his break between 3 pm and 4 pm to learn dance. Sanjay goes to school and sells flower garlands with his father. Every evening he finds an excuse and comes to Naigaon to join us, ”Chauhan told Rediff.com

V Unbeatable member Chauhan recalls an incident during their rehearsal “When Suraj, one of our members was caught sleeping during rehearsals, I yelled at him. He heard me silently and then complained about how helpless he was.

In the mornings, he worked as a paper delivery man, sold clothes in the streets during the day and came to dance with the team at night.

“It’s not your fault you yelled at me, but what can I do? When do I sleep? Suraj asked Prakash after the rehearsal.

“I felt really bad for yelling at him. He didn’t even have a pair of shoes or chappals on his feet, ”Chauhan added.

Competitor AGT, V Unbeatable

Every member of Group V Unbeatable has a story about fighting poverty

“Most parents are not supportive. And they also have a valid reason. These children lie to their parents to come to rehearsals otherwise they are not allowed. They can either study or work, but dancing is not even an option, ”Prakash told Divya Nair of Rediff.com.

AGT contacted them for auditions but they had no money for tickets or a US visa

After going viral on social media, “In May 2019, I received an email from AGTthe team coming for the auditions in California. I was happy but at the same time I was stressed.

“When I told them we didn’t have the money to reserve the tickets, they agreed to pay for the visa and the tickets on one condition. That if we don’t get through the auditions, I should refund the money. It was a big risk for us, ”said Chauhan.

AGT Dance Team from India, V Unbeatable

When they shared this news with their families and parents, only a few were ready to help. Most of them thought it was not worth the risk.

“We only had 10 days to prepare. We rehearsed 16 hours a day but never gave up. I sold my bike, borrowed a friend and asked for their (group) passport.

Candidate of a dance team from an Indian slum for the America’s Got Challenge

“When I went to the visa interview, I put everything on the line.”

In the end, he had just this to say about AGT and winning the contest.

“I want to give a better life to the children who supported this dream and sacrificed everything. This is because they gave it their 200 percent so that we could live to tell this story to the world.