Candid Chat with Drashti post her Jhalak win

Candid Chat with Drashti post her Jhalak win.
Last Saturday, television actress Drashti Dhami, better known as Madhubala in Madhubala — Ek Ishq Ek Junoon(Colors), danced away with the Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa trophy and a cash prize of Rs 50 lakh, along with her choreographer-partner Salman Khan. The ecstasy of winning Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (JDJ) hasn’t affected Drashti Dhami’s work schedule. She is already back to work, and is currently shooting for her TV show, Madhubala. “We had a party on the sets,” says the Drashti, who feels that she is overburdened and is relentlessly working like a machine. She talks about the recently earned laurel, her acting plans and more.  

After watching her perform in 'Jhalak Dikhla Ja', Neetu Singh told Drashti Dhami that she sees her future in movies. The hazel eyed girl has just won the dance reality show and is the lead of popular show 'Madhubala'. 

So lets check out does she have any plans of Bollywood???

You were a favourite to win and yet when your name was announced by judges Karan Johar and Remo D’Souza [Madhuri Dixit was absent as her father had passed away the day before], you looked very shocked…

I was shocked! I knew I had been a consistent performer throughout and that my fans had been very consistent in voting for me, but you never know with these things. With audience votes involved, anything can happen at the last minute. In fact, the feeling hasn’t sunk in even now. I slept through the whole of Sunday and I am still in a zombie state of mind (laughs).

What were your immediate thoughts when you were announced the winner?Honestly, I don’t remember what happened, I was in another zone.  My family came up on stage, my brother lifted me, but for some 30 seconds, I was completely lost! Of course, I am glad that my hard work paid off. There was a point when I wanted to quit. My scores were low, my body had given up, I was completely exhausted juggling between the shoot for Madhubala andJhalak... But Salman (Yusuff Khan – partner-choreographer) encouraged and motivated me.

Since the beginning of the show, you were expected to win. What were your hopes?I never thought of winning when I joined JDJ. I always wanted to be a part of the show. My rule was to go with the flow and enjoy every moment rather than thinking about winning and losing.

What was the winning moment like?

I don’t remember the moment at all! I was in a strange zone when the results were being announced… I was so dazed. Even the first 30 seconds… one minute… after my name was announced, I couldn’t react at all. Only when I got the trophy in my hand could I think: ‘Okay, this is for real.’

Did you feel you were favoured?I don’t think so. I wasn’t getting full marks in all my acts. I got low scores as well when my acts weren’t up to the mark. If I was favoured, they (the channel and the makers of the show) would have ensured that I shot for six hours for Madhubala and six for JDJ. But that didn’t happen. I used to put in 12 hours for the serial and rehearse for the next six hours for JDJ.

But wasn’t there any point of time in the show when you thought that maybe you could go the whole way?

I was confident that I had put in a lot of hard work and I have been brought up to believe that hard work always pays. But there was always this small doubt at the back of my mind whether I would make it or not till the very end.

Looking back, what do you think worked for you?

It would be my fans who supported me throughout. They encouraged me to better myself with every act. Also, I am a very hard-working person and I have had bruised knees, scraped elbows and a dislocated shoulder on the show. And, of course, Salman and his choreography, and the brilliant concepts he came up with week after week really worked for me.

How was your journey on the show?It’s been interesting and something I will cherish forever. Especially the judge’s comments like Karan (Johar) saying I was better than Kareena when I performed Halkat Jawani (Heroine), or the one where they said I am meant to be the brand ambassador for Jhalak, (she started as a non-dancer)  or that I look like a movie star! I remember in the beginning, everybody was saying good things, I was looking nice and generally running on adrenaline. I also remember the Egyptian act which got a lot of appreciation.

When I was rehearsing for it everything was going wrong, but the performance turned out well. The same happened with Humko Aaj Kal Hai (Madhuri Dixit’s hit song from Sailaab)! I was really nervous about performing the song in front of Madhuri.

On the show, Karan Johar’s pick of your best moment on Jhalak was when you danced to Humko aajkal (Sailaab). What would you pick as your most memorable moment on the show?

It would be all the bits, actually. Everything about Jhalak has been very memorable, right from the first episode to the rehearsals to not getting the steps right to making some awesome friends on the show. The judges… the stage… everything about Jhalak was special.

From Lauren Gottlieb to Shaan to the kids Sonali and Sumanth, your competition in the finals was very tough…

Very, very tough! Everyone was equally good, but I think it was the non-dancers like me who showed a massive growth. That’s why if I had to pick someone else besides me as the winner, it would be Shaan because he isn’t a trained dancer, but Lauren and the kids are. It was tougher for me and Shaan to learn the steps than it was for the others.

How was Salman as a choreographer-partner?

He was very patient with me. He’s known to lose his temper easily, but with me he never did because he knew I would come into the rehearsals after shooting for Madhubala for 12 hours. We made a good pair.

How strenuous was it to juggle Jhalak with the shoot of a daily soap like Madhubala?

I think God gave me some magical powers to pull through all these months. I really don’t know how I managed it but it was very, very hectic. In the last four months, I got only two off-days! I worked for 20 hours every single day. But I guess it’s just my love and passion for dance that helped me cope.

Tell us about your last performance on the Rangeela song?The 3D mapping graphics act (where she had to match the steps with the graphics on LED and the floor) was something nobody has attempted on TV before. It was difficult and I myself didn’t know what I was doing. Finally, when I saw it I was amazed that it turned out so well.

If not you, who would you have liked to see as the winner?Lauren and the kids are dancers, so it would have to be Shaan because like me he started from scratch.

Do you plan to take up dance seriously?

I would love to. But I don’t know how much time I can give to dance. I would genuinely like to make it a career.

Now that the dance show is over, what are your plans? 
As of now, I am continuing with Madhubala. All I am looking forward to is getting back to my earlier shooting schedule and relaxing at home. I have been overworked with JDJ and Madhubala. I plan to go on a vacation soon.

In your last interview, you said you are happy doing television. But do you aspire to do films now? I am happy doing television. I am enjoying this moment in life. I don’t know what’s in store for me. I will be playing the role of a heroine in Madhubala.

Finally, how do you plan to reward yourself?

I want to take a break for three-four days and go somewhere and relax. Hope I can do it soon.

Drashti Dhami Loves: Her family, chilling out with friends and sleeping