24 February,2009 10:24 AM IST | | Alisha Coelho
After inadvertently leaving him off the credits of Slumdog, the director had promised choreographer Longinus to make it up to him some day; yesterday, Boyle acknowledged him on the Oscar stage
"Pappu can dance after all, and now the world knows it," laughed choreographer Longinus Fernandes (40), who was bestowed with an unusual honour at the Academy Awards yesterday, when director Danny Boyle spent precious seconds thanking him in his acceptance speech. Longinus, who has choreographed Slumdog Millionaire's Oscar-winning song Jai Ho, had been inexplicably left out from the credits of the film.
"Boyle's generosity, humility and his will to keep his promise have bowled me over," Longinus told MiD DAY.
"We were all thrilled about my work, but then, my son Arnold (10) said that while my work was great, it was sad that my name hadn't figured in the credits. I told him that it was OK, but I felt disappointed from within. I gave the premiere party a miss because I didn't want to lick my wounds in public," said Longinus who has been dancing since he was 15.
Director Danny Boyle noticed Fernandes's mood and approached him. "I told him that I was upset. And he promised that he would make it up to me one day," said Longinus. During his acceptance speech at the Oscars for best director, Boyle said that he was sorry about leaving out Longinus's name and that he was making up for it by thanking him now.
"I'm extremely honoured that he mentioned my name on a global platform. Nobody is going to forget me anytime soon," he said. His son, he added, is "on top of the world."
What Danny Boyle said on stage
There's one guy I should mention, we've mentioned a lot of people.
I forgot a guy. The guy who choreographed the dance at the end of the film. He's called Longinus. And I forgot him off the credits. And I only found out about it two weeks ago. I'm an idiot and I apologise from the bottom of my heart, Longinus. Thank you so much.
