The 9th season of popular dance reality show Jhalak Dikhla Ja was kicked off on Colors TV on July 30 with much aplomb. With 10 contestants burning the dance floor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Karan Johar and Ganesh Hegde as the three celebrity judges and Manish Paul (what’s with that glittery tie, yo!) as the host - episode 1 of the show was a fantastic watch.
Here’s what we loved about the episode.
Jackie As A Judge
Apart from showcasing her skills as the terrific dancer that she is - it was a treat to watch her entry on the show to a medley of some of her hit numbers - Jacqueline Fernandez is adding an exuberance to the show which has been missing till now. From gamely admitting her poor grasp over Hindi to dancing with host Manish and cheering for the contestants to requesting the producers not to eliminate any contestant on the first day of the show - Jackie is adding a balance to the more serious approach of fellow judges, Karan Johar and Ganesh Hegde.
Serious Talent On Stage
A fine medley of celebrity dancers and non-dancers, this year’s line-up of Jhalak Dikhla Ja promises a lot of entertainment. The first episode itself blew the audience away with fantastic performances from the likes of Salman Yusuff Khan, Shantanu Maheshwari, Karishma Tanna, Surveen Chawla and the twin sisters from Chicago - Poonam and Priyanka Shah (watch their fusion Bharatnatyam if you haven’t already). TV star Gaurav Gera as Chutki and Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi added to the fun quotient.
More Power To The Audience
In what’s a first, the show is going for ARP (Audience Rating Point) rather than the usual TRP (Television Rating Point). While the judges would be responsible for 50 per cent of the marks that rate the performance of a contestant, the other 50 would be in the hands of the audience present in the studio. So even if the judges think poorly of a contestant’s performance, the verdict of the audience can turn the game on its head.
Paisa Vasool All The Way
And if you need more reason to watch the show, keep your ears and eyes peeled for the repartee between Karan Johar and Manish Paul. Witty and caustic, Karan matched Manish in the war of words - and on the dance floor - step for step. Karan dancing to Mera Naam Mary Hai was one of the highlights of episode one for sure!
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