Kushal Punjabi may have entered Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa through the wild card round only recently, but the actor’s smooth moves make him seem no less than a seasoned participant on the show. Kushal has been wowing the judges and audiences alike with all his performances. Touted as one of the strongest contenders on the show, Kushal says he’s charged more than ever to give this his best shot.
“I’m 100 per cent excited, but also very nervous and stressed-out. The rehearsals are going fine and fortunately for me, the judges have enjoyed all the performances so far. Unlike the older contestants on the show, we wild card entries had no time to prepare ourselves in advance. It is a little unnerving because the body is not used to so much of pressure,” he says.
Given the energy and finesse in his moves, people are wondering if he is a trained dancer. Kushal however, says that’s not completely true. “I only joined Shiamak Davar’s dance class when I was 18. I discontinued after a while, but have been passionate about dance since then. I really enjoy dancing, but being on the Jhalak stage is a different ball game altogether. I’m getting to discover different forms of dance. Indian classical is something I had done just once in my life before this. It’s particularly difficult to do classical because the body needs to develop the precision and grace — something that comes only with practice. I’ve also learnt a bit of tap dance,” he says.
The only hindrance that Kushal says, is a shoulder injury that keeps getting in his way. “I have a bad shoulder injury and my choreographer has to plan our acts keeping that in mind.” However the actor says, when he was offered the show, he didn’t think twice before accepting it, despite his health issues. “I said yes immediately. I have a history of taking up different kinds of reality shows — I love the challenge they offer. I don’t give up easily and don’t believe in taking the easy route. I keep pushing myself and am willing to go wherever it takes me.”
While his competition on the show includes professional dancers like Shakti Mohan and Tara Jean Popowich, he tells us he does not aim to match up to their level. “I cannot compare myself to Shakti and Tara since their background in dance is strong. They are the kinds who have one leg on their head while having a conversation with you; they are that flexible. My strong points are acting, emoting and writing; I don’t expect my acts to come up to their level. There are others on the show who are tough competition too — Sophie, Ashish Sharma and Mouni Roy — everybody is focusing hard. The thing about this show is if you slip once and forget your step, it’s all over. So you never know who is going next.”
Who does Kushal get along with best? “I’ve never worked with most people before, but I’ve met Mouni at award shows. Ranvir Shorey and I belong to the same college, he was my senior and I know him from there.”
While he’s glad about the praise that the three judges — Remo D’Souza, Madhuri Dixit and Karan Johar — have been showering on him, Kushal feels it also acts as an added pressure. “They are the real stars of Jhalak Dikhla Jaa. They’ve seen it all. But while performing, I try not to think about them too much and give it my best shot.”
