FT NEWS

Over the last 3 decades, Zee TV has been instrumental in providing Indian youth with a global platform to showcase their singing, dancing and acting talent. The channel’s most iconic dance reality show, Dance India Dance revolutionized the landscape of dance in the country when it first began to air in 2009 by introducing us to some truly exceptional dancers and never-before-seen dance styles. But over the last 13 years, the platform has stood testimonial to the sheer passion and love that India holds in its heart towards dance. After giving the audiences a glimpse of this year’s mind- blowing talent through some interesting promos, Zee TV is all geared up to welcome another season of its immensely popular reality show for the youngest dancing talent in the country-  Li’l Masters. Season 5 of DID Li'l Masters will premiere on 12^th March and air on Saturdays and Sundays at 9 PM, only on Zee TV!

Guiding the talent through their journey this season will be the OG judge of Dance India Dance, Remo D'Souza who is all set to make a grand return after 11 years on the show. Joining him in making a comeback will be the beautiful and multi-talented actress Sonali Bendre who will be seen returning to TV after four years of her last stint on Zee TV's very own kids' acting reality show- India's Best Dramebaaz. The gorgeous diva Mouni Roy will also team up with Remo and Sonali to mark her debut as a reality show judge on the show.  Moreover, DID’s favourite entertainer, Jay Bhanushali returns to host yet another interesting season.

Aparna Bhosle, Zee TV Business Head said, "On season 5 of DID Li’l Masters,  we plan to delight our viewers with two remarkable, much-awaited Zee TV comebacks - that of Remo D'Souza and Sonali Bendre as well as an exciting reality television debut of the much-loved Mouni Roy. With Jay's effortless chemistry with the kids and an incredible talent pool we've discovered, we look forward to a great season of the show!”

Attempting to unearth some rare, hidden talent from across the country, the in-house creative team of DID Li’l Masters along with the show's production house- Full Screen Entertainment recently opened doors to a new pool of young budding dancers between the age of 3  to 13 years to audition for the show. The judges are now actively looking for the Top 15 Li’l Masters who will later be divided into three teams led by well-known choreographers - Paul Marshal, Vaibhav Ghuge and Vartika Jha. Known as ‘Skippers’, this trio of dancing stars will further mentor the contestants and help them put their best foot forward during their journey on the show. 

While it was every young contestant’s own unique dancing style, versatility and merit that made the cut to the television auditions round, what moved the judges as much was the deep passion that each of them held for dance in their lives. Be it Assam’s 5-year-old Adhyashree Upadhyay who took the judges’ breath away with her scintillating dance moves to ‘Hawa Hawai’ or Chandigarh’s 7-year-old Aarav Shreshtha who aims to make his dad’s momo stall world-famous through his dancing, each of these dancing sensations proved that they are, without a doubt, the #DanceKeBaap. Everyone's heart went out to Appun Pegu, an 8-year-old gem from Assam who despite suffering from a heart ailment at such a tender age, excels in various dance forms like- Krumping, Whacking and Hip Hop, she has been advised by the doctor that dancing will help her recover soon. Then we’ve Salman Khan’s die-hard fan, 7-year-old specially-abled contestant Ahmad Raja from Rajasthan, who gave the judges a glimpse into his indomitable spirit as he danced despite having had his arms amputated in a tragic incident. Another cutie worth a mention is 6-year-old Rishita Tanti from Kulpi who mesmerized the judges with her killer moves on ‘Hothon Pay Aisi baat’. Also, there is Faridabad’s 5-year-old little girl Shrishti Negi who not just gave a power-packed performance but made the judges Remo and Mouni groove with her on the viral track ‘Sami Sami’. With such talented kids gearing up to set the stage ablaze with their exceptional dancing moves & expressions, audiences are in for a grand celebration of dancing talent with the real Dance Ke Baap’s. 

Thrilled to make her comeback on television, Sonali Bendre said, "I’ve always loved dance in all its forms. As I actor, I have come to appreciate it even more especially how in India, we have beautifully integrated dance into our films and illustrate stories through it.  After my stint with India’s Best Dramebaaz, I am so happy to return to television as a judge in Zee TV for DID Li’l Masters. I am really looking forward to discovering the amazing talent we have and mentoring them in my own way.  I am super excited to see what these little wonders have in store for us… I often find myself speechless with the sheer talent and determination these tiny powerhouses come with.  It is truly a memorable, heart-filling experience”

Ecstatic about returning to the show, choreographer, actor and judge Remo D’souza shared, "I believe Dance India Dance Li’l Masters has moved beyond the realms of being just a dance reality show; it's about etching the future of dance in our country. I remember making my debut as a judge with season 1 of DID and over the years I have seen several dancers evolve and grow on this platform. This is my first season with DID Li’l Masters and the audition rounds have given me an exciting glimpse of the incredible talent that is set to appear, and I truly can’t wait to see what more is in store for us. My one and only advice to each of them would be to dance your heart out! This show provides a national platform for the youngest talent in our country to showcase their dancing skills but also further polishes their skills and helps them grow as performing artists."

Excited to mark her debut as a judge, Mouni Roy shared, "As an actor and dancer, I have always loved performing and owning the stage. But for the first time I will be on the other side, observing and mentoring these young dancers as they perform. I am looking forward to seeing the true love that each of these young li'l masters have for the art. There is a lot of thrill in performing on the biggest stage of dance and I cant wait to see that bit of extra joy in their performance. I am very excited to meet the super talented Li'l Masters who are known to floor everyone with their unimaginable dancing prowess at a tender age. I personally love kids a lot so every moment of the season will be a joyride for me.”