The soap industry likes to practice what it usually displays: inbreeding. As the Prernaas and Kkaminis of the Ekta Kapoor world break off engagements to marry dastardly brothers-in-law, their real-life counterparts follow suit. Soap actors marry soap actresses, presumably to live happily ever after in a pile of suds.
This froth of celebrity shaadis is what has given rise to Nach Baliye, a pretty unique TV contest. Ten couples (nine married, one engaged) take the stage to groove to Bollywood item numbers and showcase their chemistry for an adoring world. The country votes via SMS, and a couple is eliminated every week. The judging panel is eclectic, three people you wouldn't expect to find stuck in the same elevator -- veteran choreographer Saroj Khan, filmmaker Farhan Akhtar, and item-babe Malaika Arora-Khan.
Each couple has been assigned a choreographer, or choreographer team. As I look around, I find that these kids -- most of them relative rookies, with stage shows and assistant choreographer credits, but no big projects yet -- have completely ingratiated themselves with their celeb couples. Not surprising, considering they've been rehearsing with them for the last 45 days before the shoot.