Remo D'Souza

Biography:

Remo D’Souza is an Indian choreographer, director, and producer based in Mumbai, renowned for his extensive work in Bollywood. With a career spanning over 25 years, he has choreographed more than 100 films, establishing himself as a leading figure in the industry and a source of inspiration for many choreographers. Remo is also known for his role as a judge on the dance reality show Dance Plus for seven consecutive seasons.

He began his television career with the dance show Dance India Dance (DID), where he served as a judge alongside Terence Lewis and Geeta Kapoor, mentoring contestants in various dance styles. Remo made his directorial debut with the comedy film F.A.L.T.U, which was well-received by critics.
His subsequent directorial projects include ABCD: Any Body Can Dance (2013), a 3D dance film featuring Prabhu Deva, Dharmesh Yelande, Lauren Gottlieb, and others, which was praised for its choreography and soundtrack. In 2015, he directed the sequel ABCD 2, starring Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor, focusing on the journey of a dance crew that wins the World Hip Hop Dance Championship.

Remo also appeared on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa from seasons 4 to 7, and was a “super judge” on Dance Plus, working alongside Raghav Juyal and team captains Dharmesh Yelande, Shakti Mohan, and Punit Pathak. In 2016, he directed A Flying Jatt, starring Tiger Shroff and Jacqueline Fernandez, which received mixed reviews but had some memorable moments.

He continued as a judge on Dance Plus and later appeared on Dance Champions. His film Race 3 (2018), featuring Salman Khan and others, was a box office hit despite receiving negative reviews.
In 2020, Remo directed the third installment of the ABCD franchise, Street Dancer 3D, which included original cast members and introduced new ones. The film, released on January 24, 2020, was well-received by critics and grossed ₹102 crores worldwide.

Born on April 2, 1974, in Bangalore into a Hindu family, Remo D’Souza, originally named Ramesh Gopi Nair, grew up in Olavakkode, Palakkad, Kerala. His father, Gopi Nair, was a chef in the Indian Air Force, and his mother, Madhaviyamma, was a housewife. He completed his schooling at the Air Force School in Jamnagar, Gujarat, but left school early to pursue a career in dance. Self-taught by watching films and music videos, Remo credits Michael Jackson as his major inspiration.

Remo is married to Lizelle Watkins, an Anglo-Indian costume designer who has worked on various TV shows. After converting to Christianity, Remo adopted the name Remo D’Souza. The couple has two sons, Dhruv and Gabriel, and resides in Andheri West, Mumbai. Lizelle also collaborates with him on various projects.