The hall reverberated with the very catchy beat of Shweta Shetty's Ore Ore and the 13-year-old who was vigorously gyrating to the beats could have easily taught the original dancer, Raveena Tandon, a thing or two about filmi jhatkas and nakhras.Scene two had a couple of teenagers with a fabulously choreographed number set to the current hot craze - Barbie Girl.Then came the turn of a PYT (Pretty Young Thing for the ignoramuses!) in skin-hugging jeans and a short, short top who proceeded to do the most incredible steps for the number Sexy Eyes that so mesmerised the crowd that even the guys controlling the audio system forgot to put off the tape after the stipulated one minute, letting the song run to near completion!And so it carried on - the all guys dance group that kept their shirts on but did an equally commendable job as Salman Khan and co for O O jaane jaana, the Punjabi girl who was probably all of nine but balle balle-d to the Daler Mehendi number with the expertise of a professional and the breakdancer, with a body made apparently of rubber, who did the most incredible antics on the dance floor set to a hot filmi favourite.And it was all happening right here in amche Pune. It really seemed as though this was just the break youngsters in the city had been waiting for all this while. For the three days, that is May 16 to 18, it seemed as though every youngster in town had tripped to Holiday Inn to shake a leg (and various other parts of the anatomy) for the benefit of the Colgate Gel Boogie Woogie team that was in Pune to have a dekko at the local talent. But obviously even they had not fathomed such an overwhelming response that ultimately resulted in the organisers extending their original schedule of two days by another day simply to accommodate all the applicants.Ambitious parents and even more ambitious youngsters could be seen engaged in a flurry of activity as they collected the forms, filled up the particulars, memorised the number allotted to them and lined up for their turn, clutching their precious audio cassettes in hand that contained the vital piece of music that would form the background to the explosion of talent as planned by them. While there were a few aspirants who seemed more seriously inclined and based their dances on classical numbers, the majority were clearly banking on the jazzy and catchy beats of one of the current top ten to notch up a win. As for English numbers both Barbie Girl and Sexy Eyes could have won a prize for the oft-repeated score, if there was one going.The first two days itself saw some 400 auditions and the organisers were hoping to clock in another couple of hundred on the extended day too. According to Ravi Behl, one of the producers of the show, the final selection of contestants from the auditions being taped would be done in Mumbai. The finalists would then contacted individually and asked to come to Mumbai where their performances would be recorded at the Filmalya Studios from June 1 to 4. The organisers expect the Pune Special to be on air in about two months from now. That would in fact also coincide with this popular show completing its 100th episode. ``I am simply amazed by Pune's talent. In fact it looks like we might have to come back,'' revealed a visibly thrilled Behl. So there's hope yet for the handful left who probably missed the earlier auditions and along with that their shot to fame.While the oodles of talent so visible in the city does make one immensely proud, it also seems to force you to acknowledge another undeniable fact. That Pune is no more Pune - it's just another wannabe Mumbai!
