Meet Kolkata's small wonder who floored Ellen Degeneres

Akshat Singh, a die-hard Salman Khan fan and currently a semi finalist on India's Got Talent, recently traveled to the US to meet Ellen DeGeneres. He recounts his experience here.

Eight-year-old Akshat Singh, who floored the judges and audience on reality television show India's Got Talent with his Salman Khan style dance moves, recently appeared on US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres' self-titled show.

The Kolkata boy caught Ellen's eye when his semi finals' performance on Salman's hit song Mera Hi Jalwa on India's Got Talent went viral online.

The video went on to garner millions of hits in India and the US.

Akshat describes his arrival on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, "I went on the show riding a small bike, dressed in a policeman's uniform and did my famous moves."

His father adds, "He did some complex cartwheels, headstands and his favourite 'Salman Khan Style dancing' but he was not able to perform on the song from the viral video because they (the Ellen producers) didn't get permission to use it."

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Akshat says he knew nothing about the host, actress Ellen DeGeneres before he went on the show.

"I told the host Ellen that I dance for three hours everyday and then eat a lot. If there's no petrol in the car, how will the car run?" says the worldly-wise youngster.

"I told her that I didn't go on IGT to win but to show my talent to the whole of India, to show that even motus (chubby people) can dance.

"She too danced with me on the show and gifted me a new bike with the US flag and my name inscribed on it."

Akshat even received a standing ovation on the show.

So where did he learn the now-famous dance steps?

"Bhai se seekha (I learnt from bhai aka Salman Khan).

"I watch all his films and copy all his signature dance steps. Bhai big boss hain, aur main chota boss hoon (Bhai is the big boss and I am the small boss).

"I have been learning dance from the age of four, from a dance teacher, and I am learning gymnastics too," says the die-hard Salman Khan fan.

He hasn't ever met Salman, "but I meet him every day in my sleep (dreams)."

Akshat’s father, Abhay Singh, who runs a small tea leaf business in Kolkata, says, "He is a bright kid at school. He has even got a scholarship up to standard 12. He does more things than kids who are thinner."

He adds, "I first noticed a spark in Akshat when he was four years old.

"But because he was overweight, initially people used to laugh at him. But he decided to prove everyone wrong."

Going to the US was "a big thing for us because we have never even gone to Nepal. All thanks to IGT. We were over the moon when we got to know that Akshat was invited to a show in the US," says the proud papa.

"We went to the studio, did technicals with the production crew before the show actually started. We met the host only during the show. We didn't have time to interact with her as she was very busy." 

Abhay Singh says they couldn't stay in the US for more than two days due to the shooting schedule in Mumbai for IGT.

"We ate Indian food and burgers in the US. They had given us some dollars to buy toys for Akshat but we didn't have time to shop."

Nevertheless, it was a once in a lifetime experience for Akshat and his parents.

"He is just enjoying the moment. He doesn't understand much about the popularity he's got and the chat show he was invited to," says Abhay Singh.