# Salman Yusuff Khan
**Salman Yusuff Khan** (also known simply as Salman; born 1985) is an Indian dancer, actor, and choreographer who first came to public attention by winning the first season of the dance reality show [Dance India Dance](https://www.edgepedia.org/dance-india-dance) in 2009, and later played lead and supporting roles in Hindi dance films, most notably *ABCD: Any Body Can Dance* (2013).[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/salman-yusuff-khan/1050043)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1985, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/salman-yusuff-khan/1050043) |
| Also known as | Salman; Mohammad Ghause[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/salman-yusuff-khan/1050043) |
| Breakthrough | Winner of Dance India Dance season 1, grand finale aired 30 May 2009[2](https://www.thenamesdictionary.com/references-for/salman-yusuff-khan) |
| Film debut | Minor uncredited roles in *Wanted* (2009) and *Rakta Charitra* (2011); first major role in *ABCD* (2013), nominated for an Apsara Award for Best Male Debut[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/salman-yusuff-khan/1050043) |
| Other films | *ABCD 2* (2015), *Love U Family* (2017), *Heartbeats* (2017), *Dil Juunglee* (2018), *Welcome to New York* (2018), *Lakshmi* (2018)[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/salman-yusuff-khan/1050043) • [3](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/cities/hyderabad/2026/Aug/11/salman-yusuff-khan-we-either-win-or-we-learn) |
| Television | Choreographer on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 4 and 5; challenger on *Khatron Ke Khiladi Darr ka Blockbuster Returns* (2015)[4](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/prabhu-deva-a-friend-companion-on-abcd-sets-salman-yusuff-khan-630296) • [5](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/being-a-dancer-helped-in-khatron-ke-khiladi-salman-yusuff-khan/) |
| Spouse | Faiza Haramain[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/salman-yusuff-khan/1050043) |
## Early life and training
Salman Yusuff Khan was born in 1985 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/salman-yusuff-khan/1050043) According to a Filmfare interview, he was born into a conservative, middle-class Muslim family and moved from the UAE to Bengaluru to pursue mechanical engineering.[6](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/dancing-to-success-7898.html)
His dancing began in college. He joined the college troupe and, with Latin American dance forms popular at the time, began learning them and performing corporate shows for pocket money.[7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/my-seven-years-in-bengaluru-have-shaped-my-future-salman-yusuff-khan/articleshow/57556935.cms) His grades fell and he lost a year of study; when his family refused to pay his college fees, he earned the money through dance work, which he says pushed him to train harder.[7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/my-seven-years-in-bengaluru-have-shaped-my-future-salman-yusuff-khan/articleshow/57556935.cms) He has described the internet, particularly YouTube dance tutorials, as his main teacher for advanced techniques, saying that India lacked sources for learning them at the time.[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/internet-is-my-best-teacher-salman-yusuff-khan/articleshow/16262920.cms)
## Dance India Dance and television
A colleague told him about the reality show Dance India Dance and encouraged him to audition; he did not tell his parents beforehand.[6](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/dancing-to-success-7898.html) The show debuted in 2009 and gave aspiring dancers a national stage; its first grand finale aired on 30 May 2009, with Salman Yusuff Khan as the winner and [Remo D'Souza](https://www.edgepedia.org/remo-dsouza) as one of the judges, or "masters".[2](https://www.thenamesdictionary.com/references-for/salman-yusuff-khan) • [9](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/where-are-the-winners-of-dance-india-dance-now-article-13972616.html)
After the win he moved into choreography for television. He worked as a choreographer on [Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa](https://www.edgepedia.org/jhalak-dikhhla-jaa) 4 and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 5, partnering celebrities including [Isha Sharvani](https://www.edgepedia.org/isha-sharvani), and returned for a third consecutive year on season 6.[4](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/prabhu-deva-a-friend-companion-on-abcd-sets-salman-yusuff-khan-630296) • [10](https://bollyspice.com/salman-yusuff-khan-talks-jdj6-and-his-passion-dance/) In 2015 he entered *Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi Darr ka Blockbuster Returns* as a "challenger", saying his dance background helped him perform intricate stunts while staying calm and poised.[5](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/being-a-dancer-helped-in-khatron-ke-khiladi-salman-yusuff-khan/) He later served as one of the captains of [Dance Plus](https://www.edgepedia.org/dance-plus) season 6, alongside Punit Pathak and Shakti Mohan, on a panel judged by Remo D'Souza.[2](https://www.thenamesdictionary.com/references-for/salman-yusuff-khan)
## Film career
His first screen appearances were minor and uncredited, in *Wanted* (2009), where he featured in the title track, and *Rakta Charitra* (2011); he also appeared in the *Rakta Charitra* music video "Dance Of Death", which he has described as a hit.[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/salman-yusuff-khan/1050043) • [11](https://www.colorstv.com/us/character/salman-yusuff-khan/) His first major role came in Remo D'Souza's *ABCD: Any Body Can Dance* (2013), reported as India's first 3D dance film, in which he played Rocky alongside Prabhudeva, Kay Kay Menon, Ganesh Acharya, and fellow DID dancers Dharmesh and Mayuresh.[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/salman-yusuff-khan/1050043) • [4](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/prabhu-deva-a-friend-companion-on-abcd-sets-salman-yusuff-khan-630296) The role brought him an Apsara Award nomination for Best Male Debut.[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/salman-yusuff-khan/1050043)
**Working with Remo D'Souza.** Remo, who had judged him on Dance India Dance, became his mentor and reportedly promised to cast him in a film.[6](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/dancing-to-success-7898.html) Salman followed *ABCD* with its sequel *ABCD 2* (2015), which he called his big-screen debut as a leading man.[3](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/cities/hyderabad/2026/Aug/11/salman-yusuff-khan-we-either-win-or-we-learn) • [5](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/being-a-dancer-helped-in-khatron-ke-khiladi-salman-yusuff-khan/) He was also cast as the lead in what was reported as India's first film on ballroom dancing, a Remo D'Souza production incorporating new Latin American dance styles.[7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/my-seven-years-in-bengaluru-have-shaped-my-future-salman-yusuff-khan/articleshow/57556935.cms) • [12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khl6ATh6R5w)
His later credits include *Love U Family* and *Heartbeats* (both 2017), *[Dil Juunglee](https://www.edgepedia.org/dil-juunglee)*, *Welcome to New York*, and *Lakshmi* (2018), and *Street Dancer 3*.[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/salman-yusuff-khan/1050043) • [3](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/cities/hyderabad/2026/Aug/11/salman-yusuff-khan-we-either-win-or-we-learn) He also starred in the short film *Fursat*, an Indian musical romance alongside Ishaan Khattar and [Wamiqa Gabbi](https://www.edgepedia.org/wamiqa-gabbi), and in the "Fidaai" music video with [Elli AvrRam](https://www.edgepedia.org/elli-avrram).[2](https://www.thenamesdictionary.com/references-for/salman-yusuff-khan)
## Choreography work
Alongside his acting, Salman has continued to choreograph. In *Freedom*, one of two lead films he was preparing in 2015, he also choreographed the songs.[13](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Salman-Yusuff-Khan-looks-forward-to-his-two-releases-this-year/articleshow/45823144.cms) He has worked in South Indian cinema as well, choreographing "The Dabba Song" in *Darling*, a Kannada film starring Yogi, and has said he would like to choreograph more for South Indian films.[7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/my-seven-years-in-bengaluru-have-shaped-my-future-salman-yusuff-khan/articleshow/57556935.cms) In a 2012 interview he named [Prabhu Deva](https://www.edgepedia.org/prabhu-deva)'s "Main Aisa Kyun Hoon" from *[Lakshya](https://www.edgepedia.org/lakshya-2004-film)* as the song he wished he had choreographed.[14](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/its-my-way-or-the-highway-says-salman-yusuff/articleshow/16320971.cms)
## Recent work
In 2026 Salman launched a podcast, *Beyond The Spotlight*, at an event in [Hyderabad](https://www.edgepedia.org/hyderabad), adding podcast hosting to a career he describes as going far beyond dance.[3](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/cities/hyderabad/2026/Aug/11/salman-yusuff-khan-we-either-win-or-we-learn) Speaking there, he described a personal connection to the city, saying it is the people rather than the place that keep bringing him back.[3](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/cities/hyderabad/2026/Aug/11/salman-yusuff-khan-we-either-win-or-we-learn)
## References
1. [Salman Yusuff Khan, BookMyShow person profile](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/salman-yusuff-khan/1050043)
2. [References for Salman Yusuff Khan, The Names Dictionary](https://www.thenamesdictionary.com/references-for/salman-yusuff-khan)
3. [Salman Yusuff Khan: We either win or we learn, The New Indian Express (11 August 2026)](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/cities/hyderabad/2026/Aug/11/salman-yusuff-khan-we-either-win-or-we-learn)
4. [Prabhu Deva a friend, companion on ABCD sets: Salman Yusuff Khan, NDTV](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/prabhu-deva-a-friend-companion-on-abcd-sets-salman-yusuff-khan-630296)
5. [Being a dancer helped in 'Khatron Ke Khiladi': Salman Yusuff Khan, The Indian Express (22 March 2015)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/being-a-dancer-helped-in-khatron-ke-khiladi-salman-yusuff-khan/)
6. [Dancing to success, Filmfare (5 December 2014)](https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/dancing-to-success-7898.html)
7. [My seven years in Bengaluru have shaped my future: Salman Yusuff Khan, Times of India (10 March 2017)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/my-seven-years-in-bengaluru-have-shaped-my-future-salman-yusuff-khan/articleshow/57556935.cms)
8. [Internet is my best teacher: Salman Yusuff Khan, Times of India (5 September 2012)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/internet-is-my-best-teacher-salman-yusuff-khan/articleshow/16262920.cms)
9. [Where are the winners of Dance India Dance now?, Moneycontrol (13 July 2026)](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/where-are-the-winners-of-dance-india-dance-now-article-13972616.html)
10. [Salman Yusuff Khan Talks JDJ6 and his passion Dance in this Exclusive Interview!, BollySpice (12 June 2013)](https://bollyspice.com/salman-yusuff-khan-talks-jdj6-and-his-passion-dance/)
11. [Salman Yusuff Khan, Colors TV character page](https://www.colorstv.com/us/character/salman-yusuff-khan/)
12. [Salman Yusuff Khan to display his ballroom dancing moves in his next film, Times of India via YouTube (20 February 2015)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khl6ATh6R5w)
13. [Salman Yusuff Khan looks forward to his two releases this year, Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Salman-Yusuff-Khan-looks-forward-to-his-two-releases-this-year/articleshow/45823144.cms)
14. [It's my way or the highway says Salman Yusuff, Times of India (9 September 2012)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/its-my-way-or-the-highway-says-salman-yusuff/articleshow/16320971.cms)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of South Asia › Indian screen actors, 2000s onward › Surnames H to K*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license