MUMBAI: From jaw dropping performances to locking and popping, from dashing hip hop moves to “slo-mo” style, the biggest dance reality show – Dance India Dance season 4 is back with a bang. Come 26 October, it will celebrate the passion of dancing every Saturday-Sunday at 9 pm only at Zee TV. The channel has signed a deal with wechat and Maruti continues to be its title sponsors and eight associate sponsors have been roped in.
This season what is refreshing and new it’s the slogan, its time to “dance it out”! Sends out a strong message to its viewers that nothing is impossible to learn.. and dancing definitely not!
Speaking on the launch, Zeel content head Ajay Bhalwankar states: “DID brings in raw talent from each nook and corner of the country. You dont need to be a star but your talent and passion for dance will say it all.”
Produced by Essel Vision, the show will follow a format similar to the original season where 18 contestants are divided into three teams led by the masters. Episode after episode, the masters will groom and mentor their respective teams to face the dance ka Tashan. The show will be hosted by talented Jay Bhanushali and Grandmaster Mithun Da will continue to grace the platform with his characteristics wit, love and affection.
So what new the season has in store for the viewers? While the original judge trio Geeta Kapoor, Remo D’souza and Terence Lewis will remain an insuperable part of the DID family, the channel welcomes some young blood onto the panel of judges this season.
The new judges who has been roped in are Mudassar Khan, man who has choreographed in films like Bodyguard, Dabangg 2 and Ready. Second to the list, belonging to a family of choreographers, Shruti Merchant began her career assisting the choreography of films like All seasons of Dhoom, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and many more to her credits. Lastly, the third mentor started his career as an assistant to ace choreographer Farah Khan. Feroz khan is credited with smash hits like Maa da ladle and Johnny gaddaar.
The judges feel that they are going to face tough challenges going forward. They believe that competition is not only for contestants but for them as well.
So why the sudden change? Answers Zeel chief sales officer Ashish Sehgal: “Change is the sign of growth. We are proud of our choices for the fresh panel of mentors this season. At Zee, we always believe in making celebrities out of deserving talent. In my perspective freshness always brings newness. New judges will bring in new fans of dancing and that will also help to make the show better and also act as a differentiator. And they are very much capable of taking it to the the next level.”
Agreeing on the fact, Essel Vision Productions Ltd producer Nitin Keni says: “Each of them comes with an impressive body of work in the field of dance. Moreover, is is their passion for dance that has landed the, these coveted positions on our panel of judges. “
The channel is confident that the new judge trio will drive millions of enthusiasts across the country to Dance it Out.
The dancing fever has stepped in with auditions being conducted on a large scale in major 16 cities receiving an overwhelming response from the dance lovers. To top it all, it is just not going to be a television show. Reveals Akashi Chawla: “We are taking up parallel dance india dance online. Just to say Dance it Out does not make sense till the time you actually bring it out in a complete manner.”
Walking on the different lines, throughout the series, every week the masters will give out a theme and people all over can make a move of that particular theme and submit their videos. The best ones will be decided by the masters to go on-air. Adds Chawla: “the main objective is how do you give a platform to as many people possible in the most convenient manner. Everybody cannot be qualified in the auditions, so what else can you do for people who have passion to dance and great talent. So this was the strategy behind this.”
More to its marketing side, the channel is also concentrating on on-ground activations also. The channel is expanding its foot forward in ten cities, giving them a particular theme which is relevant for that city at that particular time. It will tell people to come and dance to get momentum for that theme. “The entire marketing strategy behind this is dance it out should not just be a slogan but a movement. Because it is no longer only a television show, so how do we exemplify in a brand that people actually connect it with. At Zee, we always try to give some message out of the other.”
So has it attracted the advertisers? Sehgal shoots confidently: “DID has been the darling of all advertisers. They were very excited when we told them about our plans on marketing and other activities. Because that gives them an opportunity to reach out to people at their homes. So through this way and platform, advertisers have another way. At the end of the day advertisers are looking to reach out to every consumers doors.”
We all are aware that there are barrage of shows happening across all the channels. DID occupying a 9 pm slot, will it affect the ratings of other famous shows on other GECs? Answers Chawla: “it is not for the first time that we have come against any biggest show. GEC is all about different channels launching different shows. After all you are fighting your battle in a competitive world. People who don’t like competition and people who don’t want to do things against competition should retire very soon. “
He further goes on to say that: “We love taking competition, we respect our competition and if the show is good and if the communication is clear, viewers will find time to watch different shows together. And they chose to watch the show which at that time they love the most. So all the best to all of us.”
With ad cap rule coming in, are reality shows affected for Zee? “In most of the reality shows you always kind of Adhere to ad cap, we have never over run inventory because they are high priced shows. Moreover, there are high stake sponsors involved, you cannot dilute inventory on these shows. So ad cap is not going to affect us in any manner as far as reality shows are concerned,” signs off Sehgal.
