Thursday, September 20 2007 17:40 (IST)
New Delhi, Sep 20 (UNI) After a gap of nearly a year, another season of television shows featuring celebrities in their new 'avataar' as dancers is all set to send audiences all over India in thrall! Close on the heels of Star Network announcing launch of third season of its reality show 'Nach Baliye', the Sony Entertainment television today announced the launch of second season of its celebrity dance show 'Jhalak Dikhla Ja'.
An Indian version of the highly successful US show 'Dancing with the Stars', a unique concept which pairs big celebrities not known for their dancing abilities with professional choreographers in a dance competition, 'Jhalak Dikhla Ja', in its second season, will feature celebrities like Indian Idol host Mini Mathur, famous dancer and TV actress Sodha Chandran, Pop Singer Mika Singh, 'Bakra Boy' Cyrus Broacha, Music Director Aadesh Srivastava and former Indian Hockey Coach Mir Ranjan Negi.
To be aired from September 28 every Friday and Saturday at 9 pm, 'Jhalak Dikhla Jaa II' will see these celebrities with ''two left feet'' swirl and master different kind of dance forms - from rumba to salsa, to waltz and jive to tango in their bid to outfit their competitors on the show.
''Keeping in view the huge audience response to the first season of 'Jhalak Dikhla Jaa', which went on to become one of the most popular shows on Indian Television, we have made the show bigger and better. For, while the first season had eight celebrities vie with one another for the title of best dancer, the second season will present a line up of 12 celebrities paired with professional dancers who will take on the challenge. Also, the second season will present three new judges who will bring a new perspective to the show,''Executive Vice President and business head of Sony Entertainment television, Albert Almeida told mediapersons at a press meet here today.
Judging the participants will be an eminent panel of judges comprising of popular actess and electrifying dancer Urmila Matondkar, India's leading choreographer Shiamak Davar and yesteryears' Bollywood dancing star Jeetendra, also lovingly called 'Jumping jack' for his dancing skills.
Hosting the show, which will fill the slot occupied by the reality show Indian Idol, which reaches its finale this week, will be the winner of the first season of 'Jhalak Dikhla Jaa' Mona Singh (popularly know as Jassi of the popular show 'Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin') and successful TV actor Rohit Roy.
''The uniqueness of the show lies in the fact that you see celebrities striving to excel in a discipline that is vastly different from their professional field. The show is as much about dancing as their transformation during the course of the show which is what makes the programme stand apart from the other dancing shows on television.
And, with the second season having a longer run, newer dance styles, new look sets, fresh hosts and a bigger cast of talented celebrities paired with a dynamic bunch of dancer-choreographers, the dazzle and drama of this dance show will step up to another level, adding to the charm of the original.''Sidhartha Basu of Synergy Adlabs Media, who has produced the show along with BBC worldwide, said at the press meet where six of the participants of the show - Mika Singh, Cyrus Broacha, Mir Ranjan Negi, TV actor Prachi Desai (Bani of 'Kasam Se') and film and theatre actor Sandhya Mridul - and the judges were also present along with host Mona Singh.
Speaking on the occasion, and show judge Urmila Matondkar said,''what is really interesting about this show is that it will have these celebrities, who are well known and adept in their respective vocations but who have never danced in their lives, shed their inhibitions towards dancing in face of tough competition from their fellow contestants.'' Punjabi Mika Singh said the show enabled him to try his hands at something he had never done before.
''For me, the great thing about participating in the show is that I get to learn dance for free,''mika said.
TV and film actor Sandhya Mridul also saw the show as an opportunity to enjoy herself Like the previous season of the show, 'Jhalak Dikhla Jaa II will invite viewers to vote for their favourite dancing couple. The voting pattern will follow a 50:50 ratio for judges and audiences. One celebrity couple with the lowest scores will be eliminated every week. The voting lines will be open from the day of the performance to the next morning every weekend- starting September 28 at 9 pm to next morning 8 pm.
TOTW/F/M Award(s): 2
