Four years of hard work seem to have fallen into place -- smack in time for the new millennium. But the timing was not pure coincidence. Mahesh has been working days and often nights -- training his troupe in all types of dance from classical ballet to African tribal dance -- to get his company of 10 boys and two girls ready. Demanding the same in return. "They all had to sign a strict contract before I took them on so they remain 100 per cent committed." Besides this, Mahesh also chalked out time to do Taal -- "Aishwarya has a fabulous sense of rhythm. I do not know why she has this ice-cold image, she really is a warm person" -- and Govind Nihalani's Thakshak. Both experiences hereally enjoyed. "I grew up dancing to filmi tunes and always admired Helen. In fact, I will never forget the time she gave me a pair of tights."

Trained in London's Laban Centre for Movement & Dance, Mahesh came back to India just four years ago and has already built up an impressive resume. He put together a fashion show with Sangeeta Kathiwada where they used dancers to show Melange's latest collection. He worked with Sanjay F Gupta on his pop videos. And he even choreographed the dances for Lilette Dubey's musical Jaya. Next on the cards is a magazine called Naach that will look at dance in India. "I live for diverse sources of work."