Dance reality show Boogie Woogie is ready to make a comeback. Its producer and judge Ravi Behl spoke to Karan Bhardwaj
Wonder which show instigated the dancing gene in kidsIJ Well, you guessed it right, and there are no brownie points for that. Record-holder show Boogie Woogie became a national sensation in the mid-90s by making kids prove their dancing mettle. Now it’s time to don your dancing shoes again as the show is back with a bang on Sony. The new season will see children aged between six and 14 competing for the title. “We are bigger and better. It is grandeur in terms of reach, platform and scale,” says an elated Ravi Behl, who is producer and one of the judges. Behl takes pride in his association of India’s longest dance-based reality show, as registered in limca Book of Records. He has seen the evolution of this format and humbly accepts the Boogie Woogie’s contribution in setting the trend.
“When we began, there were shows for singers. We wanted to do something for the dancers. So Javed, Naved and I embarked on this mission and I am very happy that we have been consistent and successful all over the years,” he says.
Boogie Woogie began in 1995 and provided maiden platform for Indian kids. Kids used to dance on Bollywood numbers and hit pop songs like Tunak Tunak Tun… now they focus more on genres like hip-hop and locking and popping. But Bollywood has always been the favourite. They try to replicate their favourite actors,” Behl says.
The two episodes have just been shot and the judges, which comprises Javed Jaffrey, Naved Jaffrey and Ravi Behl, are upbeat about their chemistry. “There’s no point of introducing new panel of judges as long as the original guys are doing fine,” he adds. The trio knows each other for a long time. “We have an understanding and share same sense of humour. It’s always fun to sit together,” he says.
One of the reasons why Boogie Woogie became a family show was its clean image. However, the present day reality shows are full of cheap tricks to pull in TRPs. In the name of dance, audience is exposed to some vulgar dances which turn out to be embarrassment. Agrees Behl, “Since the time we began, we were clear about our USP. Our target audience were families. And we were able to retain that. We wanted kids, parents and grandparents to enjoy the show together. We believed in that bonding.” Would he give in to evolving demands of competitionIJ “I don’t think such profanity is required in dance shows. There’s a thin line between vulgarity and sensuality. One should keep that in mind since television is a medium of families. We don’t want our audience to get embarrassed while watching the show. Parents and children should have full confidence in our legacy and what we are offering them,” he says, adding, “I don’t see any competition. Our show has paved way for many reality shows. We are trendsetters. I feel flattered by how others imitate us,” he concludes.
