Journalism of Courage
Back in 1997 when they shared their dream of a dance reality show on Indian television,the trio Naved,Jaaved Jaffrey and Ravi Behl was laughed at. We were told,no one would want to watch men,women or children dancing on stage, recalls Naved,co-producer and judge of the popular dance show Boogie Woogie. We know this script well. We know that till 2010 Boogie Woogie enjoyed its reputation as the undisputed dance reality show of Indian TV.
A lot has changed since. Todays television landscape is dominated by dance based reality shows such as Nach Baliye,Dance India Dance and Jhalak Dikhla Jaa. When Boogie Woogie returns on December 7 on Sony TV,it has to jostle for ratings. From being the only player on the block to yet another dance reality show,does the show have what it takes to stand out and survive?
The producers also agree that the show targets a different audience from their competitors. Our aim has only been to showcase good talent coming from the common man,not famous people or celebrities. That has always been our USP, explains Naved. There is never unnecessary drama on the show just dance. It was always a show that the family could watch together. And we want to bring that back, says Behl. The creators are counting on their loyal fan base to be back with them,as Behl adds,The shows legacy will definitely help us in a lot of ways.
The explosion of the dance scene with the internet opening up avenues for people to pick and learn new dance forms will also impact the shows content. The contestants will be seen doing hip hop,B-Boying,ballet,jazz,belly-dancing,locking and popping along with Bharatanatyam,kathak and contemporary dance styles. Jaaved insists that theyve kept the soul of the show the same because thats what the audience loved the most. Its like I always say,Why fix something that aint broken? adds Behl.
