Indian Chess Grandmaster D Gukesh Grooves to Rajinikanth’s ‘Manasilayo’ in Viral Video

Indian chess Grandmaster D Gukesh has taken social media by storm with a viral video of him dancing to Rajinikanth’s new chartbuster, ‘Manasilayo’. The 18-year-old, who played a crucial role in India’s historic first-ever gold medal win at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest, was seen swapping out his chess moves for dance moves while wearing traditional attire.

In the video, Gukesh can be seen donning a red kurta, ‘veshti’, and sunglasses, following the popular song’s hook steps along with his family and friends who are similarly dressed. The star player ends the video with a smile and a caption that reads, “Manasilayo…with my family friends!”

Gukesh’s extraordinary performance at the Chess Olympiad, where he won 9 out of 10 games, helped secure a gold medal for himself and catapulted the Indian team to the top. His dedication to the team’s success was evident when he chose to skip the Bermuda party, a highly-anticipated event at the Chess Olympiad, to focus on his game.

Following his success at the Olympiad, Gukesh quickly rose to the world top 20 and became the second highest-rated chess player in India, nearing chess legend Viswanathan Anand’s record. He was also felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi along with his teammates.

Next up for the grandmaster is a face-off with Chinese champion Ding Liren at the upcoming World Championship in Singapore. The event, scheduled from November 20 to December 15, will see the winner walk away with a prize of $2.5 million.

With his impressive skills on the chessboard and now on the dance floor, Gukesh continues to make waves in the world of chess and beyond.