Dance Plus 4 mentor Punit J Pathak: My ultimate goal is to direct a film

Sharing what’s new in this season of Dance Plus, Punit, in an exclusive chat with indianexpress.com said. “While we are the same, the talent brings in a lot of newness and freshness. This season, the contestants are more finished and prepared. And their skills and passion amaze us completely. It’s thus a big responsibility now as mentors, to polish them further.”

Talking about his journey the 30-year-old said, “If you look at it visually, the journey from the stage to the judges’ table is only about 15-20 steps. But it takes a lot of hard work to reach there. I am one of the lucky few, who manage to make that progress. I am also thankful to the people who thought I was capable of judging and mentoring young dancers. I have judged Dance India Dance, a reality show, that I participated in. So it’s a big achievement for me.”

With the rise of reality shows on television, contestants no more get the same amount of success and recognition which the earlier ones got. Sharing his inputs on the same, the choreographer said, “Yes, there are many reality shows currently and too many contestants. But the ones, who are good, will definitely get noticed. Also, the competition helps bring out the best of the talents. And this is why I say Dance Plus is the best dancing reality show for us, as mentors, put in so much efforts to make them the best dancers.”

Punit further shared a heartwarming story of how his family has been a constant support to him. “I would always be thankful to my mother and brother for supporting me so much. My younger brother Nishit, also wanted to dance but he chose to sacrifice his dreams so that I could move ahead. And he fulfilled my father’s dreams of taking charge of the family business. He pushed me ahead and now he is also my business partner. He also took off the burden from my head by getting married earlier (laughs). So, yes, the tagline of our show ‘sapne sirf apne nahi hote’ is completely true,” he said.

Further, talking about his stint with acting, the ABCD actor said, “I love acting. I think anything that’s creative gives me a high. Also, I enjoy choreography. So someday, I hope I can utilise my love and passion to become a director. That’s my ultimate dream.”

Hosted by Raghav Juyal and Sugandha Mishra, Dance Plus 4 airs every weekend at 8 pm on Star Plus.