Forget Tesla humanoids: Watch IIT Bombay Techfest robot dance to Akshay Khanna's Dhurandhar viral F9LA track

IIT Bombay robot

• A made-in-India humanoid robot danced to F9LA at IIT Bombay Techfest 2025
• Viral performance showed advances in motion control and balance algorithms.
• IIT Bombay's demo highlights India's growing expertise in humanoid robotics

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Forget Tesla’s humanoid robots for a moment as a made-in-India humanoid robot is stealing the show this week with its dance moves at the IIT Bombay Techfest. The video of a robot dancing to Dhurandhar’s viral F9LA track at IIT Bombay Techfest 2025 is going viral and has managed to grabbed attention online, highlighting how Indian engineering institutes are blending robotics, pop culture and real-world experimentation.

What happened at IIT Bombay Techfest

During IIT Bombay’s annual Techfest, a humanoid robot took the stage and performed a choreographed routine to F9LA, the Arabic-influenced track from the Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar. The performance quickly spread across social media, with clips showing the robot moving in sync with the beat, maintaining balance while executing coordinated arm and leg movements.

Humanoid robot dances to 'Fa9la' at IIT Bombay Techfest 2025. Looks like Trump's H-1B ban is making Indian engineers innovate at home. pic.twitter.com/poul0YF7US

— Rakesh Krishnan Simha (@ByRakeshSimha) December 26, 2025

The dance was presented as part of a larger showcase at Techfest, which typically features student-led and research-driven demonstrations across robotics, AI and automation. According to the organisers, the performance was designed to show how motion control, stability algorithms and real-time actuation can come together in a physical system, rather than being limited to simulations or lab tests.

Unlike highly polished corporate demos often associated with global companies such as Tesla, the IIT Bombay robot’s appeal lies in its academic and experimental roots. The humanoid demonstrated controlled movement, balance correction and rhythm matching, all of which are key challenges in humanoid robotics.

The robot attempted to mirror the energy associated with Akshaye Khanna’s character in Dhurandhar, translating cinematic movement into mechanical motion. For students and researchers, this kind of performance acts as a stress test for motors, joints and control software under dynamic conditions.

India’s growing focus on humanoid robotics

The viral moment comes at a time when global tech leaders are increasingly focusing on humanoid robots. Tesla has showcased its Optimus robot performing tasks such as folding clothes and dancing, while companies backed by Nvidia and Google are investing in robotics as the next phase of AI’s evolution.

In this context, IIT Bombay’s Techfest demo signals that Indian institutions are actively engaging with similar challenges. While the robot is not positioned as a commercial product, it reflects growing expertise in hardware-software integration, locomotion and human-like interaction.

What this signals for the future

The IIT Bombay robot dance may be a pop-culture moment, but it underlines a broader shift. Indian engineering campuses are no longer just observers of global robotics trends. Through platforms like Techfest, they are testing ideas in public, building visibility and contributing to conversations around the future of humanoid robots.