DID 2 was more about stunts : Saroj Khan

She is known as Masterji in the industry. The name is Khan, Saroj Khan. A veteran choreographer who has made heroines of all shapes and sizes from Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi to Aishwarya Rai. Reality shows like Nach Baliye and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa have brought out the ‘judge’ in her while an Imagine show gave her an opportunity to teach dance to young girls. And now, Khan’s latest project is her show Chak Dhoom Dhoom, in which she joins Ahmed Khan and Vindu Dara Singh to judge the kiddie show. At the press launch, Khan who has lost a considerable amount of weight was in a volatile mood. Excerpts from a blow-hot-blow-cold chat with her You have lost weight... My doctor warned me that if I put on another 10 kilos, I am sure to get a heart problem. So I zipped my lips. Now I eat just two rotis in the day and two at night. And of course, my dance is also helping me lose weight. How was the Chak Dhoom Dhoom audition? Lovely! We met so many talented kids. It is very difficult to reject kids and see the sadness they go through, but we had to say ‘No’ to some. We told them not to lose hope, prepare better and come back in the next season. You have mentioned that the kids are ‘scary’ in the show. What do you mean by that? (Laughs) Don’t get me wrong! By scary I meant they are so very talented, gifted and considering their age it is really scary! All of them want to be different from each other and be the best. Their spirit is admirable. Are you going to be strict with the kids? Not really. I am strict with the adults who claim to be good dancers and do wrong steps and mudras. So I correct them. That is my duty and I will always do that. During Nach Baliye you must have seen how celebrity couples improvised and transformed themselves into good dancers. So correction is very important and I don't care if someone doesn't like that. But with children, we have to very cautious and sensitive. I am not a hawk as I am made out to be. What will be your parameters while judging a kid? I will primarily look at the grasping power of a child and also how they have learned the dance – are they naturally gifted or did they learn from someone or just by watching television? Sometimes they lie, but not for long, the truth comes out eventually. I will also see how ‘at-ease’ the kid is while performing. Have you, Ahmed Khan and Vindoo divided responsibilities for judging this show? No, everyone is free to make their judgment. However, I will be looking more at the Indian styles, Ahmed at the Western and Vindoo into the funnier side. He will be more like a people’s person, who will entertain and boost the spirits of the kids. Did you follow Dance India Dance? I followed the first season. But from the second season it was more about stunts. The contestants are doing romantic numbers while doing flips! For me it had become monotonous and so I did not feel like watching it. Currently, all dance-based reality shows, including the ones featuring kids, have participants dancing to Hindi film songs. Why don’t we see too much of traditional dance forms in these shows? (Agitated) What is wrong in dancing to Hindi film numbers? It depends on what you want to teach your kids. When a film on snake dance becomes a hit, all of us copied the same style. Who wants to see traditional dances now? People try to imitate what they see around themselves. Today, if you do not dance to the tune of Hindi film songs, people will say that ‘you cannot do this form of dance’. I don’t tell children to dance in a particular style but how many parents make their children learn classical or folk dances? If I had to make a show on say, Kathak, will you watch it? I doubt it because even viewers want to see what’s happening all around us. Do you like any contemporary dancer from the industry? Let me share a secret with you. I don't watch any new Hindi movies! Only if the film has Aamir Khan, do I watch it. He is one person who will never do a bad film. His films are inspiring and he does that after a lot of homework.