Aishwarya Gandeed
From sangeet stages to college fests, wedding baraats to Instagram reels, there’s one thing people across India are grooving to these days: the hook step.
A hook step is a catchy, easy-to-follow dance move from a song that gets stuck in people’s minds — and their bodies. In today’s social media-driven world, everyone — dancer or not — is trying to recreate these steps. Whether you’re scrolling through reels or attending a wedding, you can’t miss someone doing that one iconic move from the latest hit.
According to a report in Hindustan Times, choreographer Bosco Martis, who created the hook step for Tauba Tauba, said, “The brief on a hook step is that it should be easy so that everybody can pick it up.” He adds, “The rising popularity of the hook step has made choreographers more visible. In the celebration around the hook step, both the star and the choreographer get attention. It’s a great thing for us.”
Choreographer Mudassar Khan traces the trend back to stars like Salman Khan, Govinda, and Madhuri Dixit. “Every person is not a born dancer,” he says. “Not everyone can dance like Michael Jackson or Prabhudeva. People liked these performances because they found them easy to groove on. That’s why the trend picked up on social media.”
He added that a hook step alone isn’t enough — the music matters too. “If the music is average, however good a hook step you put, it doesn’t become catchy. A hook step becomes popular only when the music blends with the choreography.”
Hyderabad-based choreographer Nitish explained that hook steps have always existed, just under a different name. “Earlier, we called them signature steps. People recreated Megastar Chiranjeevi’s moves long before the term ‘hook step’ became popular. Now, every film wants a hook step for promotions.” He believes influencers have played a major role in boosting this trend. “The moment a new step appears in a film, influencers start recreating it. For two to three weeks, that one step is all over Instagram. It makes the song go viral.”
With visibility comes pressure. “There’s always been pressure on choreographers to create something memorable. But now, with virality at stake, that pressure has increased,” Nitish said. “Anything unique, different, or even slightly bizarre can catch on.”
For Swapna Thakur, a social media influencer, hook steps are more than just dance moves. “They’re a big part of India’s celebration culture now. You see them everywhere- not just on reels, but during weddings and college events too. They’ve become a common language of fun.”
She said that movies and even brands are now planning hook steps as part of their marketing. “A catchy hook step spreads the song like wildfire. Social media sells, and these steps are made with that in mind.” She pointed out that even regional and folk songs are getting in on the action. “Look at the Telugu folk song Daripontothundu- its hook step blew up. So even regional songs are using their own hook steps to create their own mark.”
Ankitha, a dancer, shared how she recreated a dance from the song Kallaku Gajjalu Kattinadhana and her reel crossed 80K views. “I learned the steps from an influencer. People are more likely to try these steps if they’re simple. If it’s too hard, most people won’t even attempt it,” she said.
She added that the influence goes beyond the steps themselves. “In the viral Monica song from Coolie, people weren’t just copying the steps. They wore red dresses like actress Pooja Hegde. That’s how deep these trends go.”
What makes the hook step so popular is its relatability and simplicity. You don’t have to be a professional dancer. All you need is your phone, a trending song, and a few seconds of confidence. With this rising trend, influencers and dance lovers believe the hook step wave is here to stay. As people keep looking for something fresh, quirky, and sharable, choreographers and influencers will keep pushing boundaries to create the next viral step.