'This time I have decided to speak in better Hindi'

Shilpa Shetty, Anurag Basu and Geeta Kapoor are back with the latest season of Super Dancer 3.

Riding on the high of two successful seasons, Sony Entertainment Television is wooing the audience once again with the third edition of their dance reality show, Super Dancer.

The channel launched Super Dancer Chapter 3 yesterday in the presence of the three judges, Shilpa Shetty, Anurag Basu and Geeta Kapoor.

Hosts Ritwik Dhanjani and Paritosh Tripathi hosted the event at Film City, Mumbai.

Super Dancer gives an opportunity to young dancers between the ages 4-13 years to show their talent and become the season's winner.

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, who has been a constant on the judging panel since the first season, is impressed with the talent.

"I am really, really excited because the talent this year is some of the best. I believe it's a perfect blend of great content and great dancing," she said.

When asked how Chapter 3 would be different from the previous seasons, Anurag Basu said, "We don't know and that is the beauty of this show; it's organic. It takes its own shape. The talent that comes here also shapes the show.

"The first step is done as good talent is there. We all will try to make it better than the first two seasons."

Choreographer Geeta Kapoor felt she has to be well-prepared to judge the kids on the show.

"Many times, I felt that I have not seen this before. I feel I am going to be at a loss of words while giving my comments to the contestants because the talent we have this time around is wonderful.

"These kids live dance. I have to be well-prepared to judge them. We don't have any choice. They are way beyond what we had expected," Geeta said.

We asked Shilpa Shetty what kept bringing her back to the dance reality show.

"The kids and the fact that the show is also one of the longest-running (dance reality) shows in the history of television. It garners the highest TRP when it comes to dance reality shows.

"We have set a benchmark and it is an honest show. There is nothing contrived about it.

"You cannot give dialogues to kids and make them say things in a certain way. They say something on their own and that becomes our content. It makes the best content when it is not thought of," said Shilpa.

"Even we, as judges, never come on the set thinking we will say this today. You cannot plan it."

Talking about the off-camera bond that he shares with the kids, Anurag said, "I take a lot from this show which does not come on the camera. I talk to the kids and their families. I try to know their stories.

"It's beautiful to be with them. It's joyful. Knowing people, knowing different worlds helps. It enriches you as a human being."

Explaining how Super Dancer stands out in the crowd of dance reality shows, the filmmaker said, "The truth always stands out.

"People are very smart nowadays. They can figure out what is organic and what is contrived. They can catch you in seconds. You cannot fool people who watch reality shows anymore."

Has Shilpa got any special plans for the latest season?

"This time I have decided to speak in better Hindi and that is actually going to be a funny thing for me to do on this show. My Hindi will be so chaste that many people won't be able to understand it," she laughs.

Beginning December 29, Super Dancer Chapter 3 will air every Saturday-Sunday at 8 pm on Sony Entertainment Television.

Photographs: Pradeep Bandekar