Unveiling the Jaw-Dropping Truth: Jodie Whittaker's Master Actor Unravels the Mind-Blowing Secrets Behind Doctor Who's Rasputin Dance!

Summary

Sacha Dhawan misread the script for Doctor Who and mistakenly believed that his character, The Master, was supposed to dance to Boney M's "Rasputin."

Despite the initial confusion, the production team granted Dhawan permission to showcase his dance skills for approximately five minutes while filming. They even decided to incorporate certain parts of his performance into the final edited version. Dhawan, who had been avidly listening to the song and harboring enthusiasm for the concept of Rasputin dancing, spontaneously crafted his own dance routine during the shoot. He expressed satisfaction and gratitude to see his impromptu moves being included in the episode.

Jodie Whittaker's Master actor, Sacha Dhawan, has revealed shocking details about Doctor Who's Rasputin dance. Dhawan made his debut as the villain's latest incarnation in season 12's premiere episode, "Spyfall," where he assisted a tech billionaire in trying to take over the world. Later, he played the main antagonist in Whittaker's final adventure, "The Power of The Doctor," joining forces with Daleks and Cybermen to destroy the Doctor's entire legacy.

Although Dhawan is eagerly anticipating the show's 60th-anniversary specials, he recently talked about the memorable dance scene from "The Power of the Doctor" during a fan Q&A on RadioTimes.com. Initially, he was very excited about the scene featuring Boney M's "Rasputin" after reading the script. He even went so far as to prepare himself outside of filming to bring the scene to life. However, upon revisiting the script, he realized that the moment didn't actually require him to dance. Nevertheless, the crew was impressed with his dedication and decided to keep around five minutes of footage, which was included in the final episode. Simply put, Dhawan was not asked to dance, but the enthusiastic preparation he put into it was appreciated by the production team.

I believed that the script mentioned 'Rasputin dances', but it actually didn't. I mistakenly interpreted it in my mind, so I performed the scene with dancing. When they played the music, I started dancing without realizing that it wasn't scripted. However, the filmmakers must have thought that since I am Sacha and that's something I do, they decided to go along with it.

They allowed me to dance for approximately five minutes, and I really went all out! I hadn't prepared specific dance moves, but I knew that I had to dance on that particular day. I think my excitement and anticipation built up over the past couple of days, causing me to spontaneously break out into moves such as squatting and jumping. I believe the filmmakers found it cool, but unfortunately, they couldn't include everything because it wasn't planned. Nonetheless, they kept some of it, which made me quite happy.

Many individuals have taken notice of it, but personally, I fell in love with the concept of Rasputin dancing to Boney M when I received the script. The song was constantly playing in my head while I was in London, and when the time came, I couldn't help but let loose. I'm pleased that it made it into the final version!

Curiously, I recently revisited the script and realized that it doesn't actually specify that The Master dances. It only mentions him playing the song. It was a complete misinterpretation on my part.

Doctor Who's The Master Is A Secret Pop Music Aficionado In-Universe

Dhawan's pop song-inspired Doctor Who scene may not have originally been in "The Power of the Doctor" script, but it aligns with the character's history of engaging in less malevolent activities throughout the modern show. In a similar vein, Russell T Davies' portrayal of The Master in season 3 showcased his unexpected fondness for pop music, as highlighted in the penultimate story "The Sound of Drums," where he used Rogue Trader's "Voodoo Child" to decimate the human population. In the following episode, "Last of the Time Lords," The Master's playlist included Scissor Sisters' "I Can't Decide."

This blend of villainy and pop culture can also be seen in Davies' series Years and Years, where right-wing pundit Vivian Rook's 2026 General Election win was depicted through a similar montage. Moffat carried on the tradition of The Master's pop-song appreciation in his tenure as well. In the season 8 finale "Death in Heaven," Michelle Gomez's incarnation of Missy sings Toni Basil's "Hey Mickey" while in UNIT custody. This song is then referenced in season 9's opener, "The Magician's Apprentice," by Missy and the Twelfth Doctor. Despite their inclination to eliminate the Earth and its inhabitants, The Master has found aspects of Earth's culture that they can appreciate.

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Despite Dhawan improvising the Doctor Who dance, it is surprising that this moment was not initially included in the script. Consequently, when the Dalek and Cyberman exchange a perplexed glance, some viewers may question if any genuine reactions can be observed in the final version. However, the unexpected last-minute addition by Dhawan unquestionably stays true to the character's earlier, non-violent behaviors.

Source: RadioTimes.com