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Ashish Sharma talks about his transformation from a non-dancer to a consummate performer and his ultimate triumph
It’s been a long and hard journey, but Ashish Sharma is a happy man now that he has won the coveted Jhalak Dikkla Jaa trophy. He spoke to us about his acts, the judges and his victory.
There was a close tie between you and Karan Tacker but your massive fan following led you to win…
That’s true. I had a fan base earlier but it grew after Rangrasiya and it’s because of their strong support that I won. I am overwhelmed by it… they sat the whole night and voted for me. My win is a return gift to them.
Did you think you would win, when the show started?
No. When I started, my only concern was survival. I was shooting for Rangrasiya and compared to others I had limited time to rehearse. Plus, I have a back injury and I thought within a couple of weeks, I will get hurt again and be out. Add to it, the three-four-month-long journey! I was just taking it on a week-to-week basis.
When did the competitive spirit set in?
That happened only after the semi-finals. That’s when I started giving myself a little push. The feeling that I should win came to me only during the finale.
Who do you think were your toughest competitors?
In totality it was Karan. Yes, there were brilliant dancers like Shakti (Mohan), Mouni (Roy) and Sophie (Choudry) and I felt that I should at least perform in a way that I can stand in front of them. I always had that pressure, but having said that, this show has never been about competiton. It’s about one’s personal journey and growth in the show.
Which has been your most challenging performance?
The one where I did the pasodoble act. It’s a western classical dance form which I had to learn in just three-four days. Imagine how it would if a westerner is asked to learn kathak in three days! It was difficult for me to adapt those mannerisms. Even the Michael Jackson act was challenging because MJ had a distinct style. He mixed two-three dance forms and made it his own. Ganesh Hegde who trained me for the act told me to imbibe MJ’s attitude, his typical head shakes, the way he stood, walked, etc. I also enjoyed my vampire act.
You got lots of compliments for your acts. Which is the one you cherish the most?
Karan (Johar) was always very warm and genuine. His compliments were heartfelt. He constantly said, ‘You stand apart as an actor and in all your performances, the actor overpowers’. That’s a huge compliment.
He signed a three-film deal with last year’s JDJ paritcipant Siddharth Shukla, should we expect one between Karan and you?
(Laughs) There’s nothing in the offing but I just wanted all of them to see who I am!
Rangrasiya has ended. What do you think went wrong?
Every show has its destiny. It was my best project and Rudra is very close to my heart. The role challenged me physically and mentally. It was a complicated character. Usually, an actor derives from his own experiences, but in this case I had to get into pysche of the character because I haven’t had a complex life. The first thing people notice about an actor is whether he looks the part. Second, is if he lives the part, and I did both.
What next?
My immediate plan is to go on a three-month vacation with my wife (actress Archana Taide), otherwise she will kill me! I have hardly spent time with her. I used to just go home to sleep for four hours and was back on the sets either to shoot or rehearse.
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