Watch your steps!
Karan Johar, one of the judges of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, tells Divya Kaushik that this season will be tougher in terms of presentation, with the focus on dance rather than entertainment
Thanks to Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, we see Karan Johar matching thumkas with Madhuri Dixit, in addition to making wisecracks, commenting on issues and making appearances in award shows on the small screen. KJo, who recently turned 41, and threw a big bash for his friends, is now set to have a gala time on the sets of the dance reality show, which airs from June 1.
“It is important for me that the workplace have warmth. Only if you feel at home there will you take interest in work. I think the fact I have become familiar with the team of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa is the reason you see me as a judge in this season of the show too. Everyone is like a family.”
He added, “Anyhow, I enjoy dance and music. They are an important part of cinema. And as a member of the fraternity, I have paid attention to all these elements. I love watching new presentation.” Karan, who will judge the show with Madhuri Dixit and choreographer Remo D Souza informed that season six will be far tougher than earlier.
“I think previous seasons focussed on entertainment and comedy, with dance. This season, performances will be judged on the basis of dancing. Jhalak always highlighted the transformation of contestants, and this time considering there are trained dancers like lauren and two India’s got Talent winners, Shonali and Sumanth, you will see better conceptualisation and choreography. If one is a good dancer, he or she will have to work on presentation. And if someone is a non-dancer he has to work on hiding flaws and presenting himself on stage in a manner that he doesn’t comes across as a non-dancer. So in a nutshell, it’s going to be tough competition,” said Karan. He gave the example of the last season’s winner Gurmeet.
“He was a well-known actor but when he came to the show he was really stiff as a dancer. Each time he improved and inspired those who watched the show.”
The producer said the advantage of trained dancers as contestants is “they bring in with them a certain quality and get more exposure. Celebs you see performing on stage are popular faces but they get to prove themselves on a different platform. I really like the mix on the show this time.”
‘I’m too stiff to move’
Siddharth Shukla took a month before agreeing to join JDJ. He thought it would be a good cardio session. The actor, who plays Shiv in Balika Vadhu, talks about his growing interest in dance
Dance to you is:
When I signed the show, I thought it would be good cardio. The channel approached me with the offer, and I took a month to decide. I never danced all my life. After much convincing, I agreed, thinking it would help work on something new. Now while rehearsing and perfecting my technique, I realise it is a skill development exercise.
Earliest memories of dance:
I think I only danced as a three or four-year-old. Never in school or on stage. I was always into sports like table tennis and football. last time I danced was during a stage show. I was told later I was really stiff. There were no dancers in my family.
How do you think this will help package you as a starIJ
I like dance but I can’t do it. I never tried it before. Partly because I never had time and because I thought I could not dance. As an actor there were many incidents when I realised I should be a dancer. Or at least, perform a few steps. But I never did anything about that. Since I am a part of the show now, I have to dedicate my time and learn dance forms. So I think I will be a better performer and dance is part of acting. Hard work I put in now will help in my career.
Do you think TV actors enjoy voting advantageIJ
All Jhalak participants are celebrities. If they are not TV actors they are known names, so all of us come with a fan following that might help. But in the end it is a dance show and performance matters.
How do you think Jhalak will contribute to your career growthIJ
I was only doing Balika Vadhu when Jhalak was offered. One daily soap takes so much out of you there is hardly any time left for anything else. I am working hard for Jhalak. I have to give three to four hours of my day to rehearsals, so my participation is like giving myself a challenge at different levels.
Favourite dance forms:
let me learn the dance first.
Your strength and weakness:
My interest in dance is my biggest strength; something I enjoy learning. This makes it easier to grasp. The weakness is I can’t dance yet. If I knew the basics, it would have been easier.
Your favourite dance sequence:
It keeps changing, like favourite actors and movies change. But lately I love everything by Ranbir Kapoor. He comes across as highly passionate and energetic dancer.
About your choreographer:
Sonia Jaffer was earlier the winner of JDJ. So getting trained with an expert puts additional pressure on me to perform. But she is patient.
Double dhamaka
India’s Got Talentwinners Sonali and Sumanth are the youngest contestants. Sumanth shares they are working on their body language
Dance means...
I have been dancing for over three years. So it is part of daily routine. I was interested in dancing from childhood and learnt various forms by downloading videos of international artistes. Because of my interest, my parents got me to the Bivash Dance Academy, where I was trained in salsa as a base. Through the academy we participated in India’s Got Talent. After three months of our winning the show our trainer told us that we would participate in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, so practice or dance hasn’t stopped for the two of us.
Are there dancers in the familyIJ
No, my father is a railway employee. Mother is a housewife. Both supported me. I am in class ten and took a year break from studies for the shows.
How do you think JDJ participation will helpIJ
I feel glad we were chosen to participate with contestants known for their dancing styles. So far we only concentrated on dance but in the course of the show we will learn to present ourselves better.
Your strength and weakness...
The strength is our knowledge of most dance forms. Since we know technical steps, we only have to learn to use them in various performances. We also need to work on our facial expressions.
Your favourite formIJ
Salsa
Your favourite dance sequence...
There are many. But not from Hollywood or Bollywood movies. Dances by independent artistes are my favourite.
About your choreographer:
Vivek bhaiya is training us on body language, which is our weakness. He gives us time to learn and is never a strict teacher.
Your dance icon or guru:
Michael Jackson.
Perfection seeker
Remo D’Souza says contestant’s journey on JDJ will be an inspiration to the viewers
He is known as one of the best choreographers in the industry.
A few words of appreciation from him are like a certificate of a good performance for dancers.
This time, the participants of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa have to be more careful, because Remo D’Souza says he will judge on the basis of how perfect the moves are.
He told us that he has been to rehearsals and met contestants. So any advice from Remo, who is one of the judges this yearIJ
“All 12 participants are not dancers. So I told choreographers to design a performance, keeping in mind the strength and weakness of all participants. They have to work on hiding flaws and improving physical strength of each contestant. A good dance performance is not just about technique but about the energy and spirit displayed on stage. So the choreographers should train them in such a manner, that within minutes, they are able to impress everyone with their energy levels,” said Remo.
lauren Gottlieb, who in a way was Remo’s discovery from the reality show So You Think You Can Dance and part of his film, Any Body Can Dance (ABCD), is also a participant.
“We all know lauren is a trained dancer. But I look forward to something different from her. lauren should work on something we haven’t seen her do before,” shared the choreographer, who says that reality show like JDJ have a message.
“Contestants are popular names. Some are trained dancers and others will be dancing for the first time. So the show comes with a message that there is no age or condition to learn dance. People have seen how it instills confidence and builds strength,” said Remo.
He gave examples of contestants like Bharti and Meiyang Chang, who took the challenge and proved themselves as dancers. Remo is planning a sequel to ABCD, but said, “the film is still in its writing stages and I will be in a better position to talk of it when I get time from JDJ.”