This Ganesh season Mumbai found its newest sensation: the "Hula Hoop Queen". Shivani Dhopavkar took over social media after a video showed her performing at the grand Nagdevi Cha Maharaja Aagman Sohala 2025. Dressed in a striking red nauvari saree, the Marathi mulgi spun her hoop with effortless grace, winning applause from the crowd and hearts across the city.
Check out the video below:
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Shivani Dhopawkar (@the_bombay_hooper)
But who is this artist who turned a street performance into a moment of pride for Mumbai?
Meet Shivani Dhopavkar
Shivani Dhopavkar is not just a performer; she’s a story of courage and passion. Once an IT professional, she decided to walk away from the comfort of a desk job to pursue her true love: hula hooping.
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Her journey with the hoop started early. As a 5-year-old, a birthday gift, a simple colourful hoop, unknowingly set the course of her destiny. With her father’s encouragement and YouTube tutorials, Shivani turned practice into mastery, dazzling her schoolmates and teachers with her growing skill. But life’s pressures pushed her art aside as she took up a corporate job to support her family.
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Yet, the passion for hoop was too strong. According to an interview with Humans of Bombay, she started with just a couple of students; she began teaching hula hooping part-time.
Slowly, demand grew, and by 2023, she took the leap and quit her IT job to chase her dream. That decision not only gave her creative freedom but also helped her fulfil her biggest wish: buying her father his dream home.
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Today, Shivani is a performer, teacher, and inspiration. From brand collaborations to viral performances, her hoop has taken her far beyond what she once imagined. And as Mumbai cheers her on, it’s clear that this “Hula Hoop Queen” is only getting started.
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