Ask anyone. Channel officials, studio hands, fellow performers — everyone will confirm that enfant terrible Rakhi Sawant has been on her best behaviour through the weeks of 9X’s dance reality show Yeh Hai Jalwa. All set for the finals on Sunday, t2 ventures near the talkathon sizzler. Here she is, er, unplugged...

How has the journey to the finals been like?

Bahut achchha. Enjoyed a lot. Bachchon ko sikhana, phir unke saath naachke kitni bade bade stars ko harana asaan nahin. Shweta Tiwari, Rosa, Prachi Desai — you know na Prachi Desai? Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa ki winner... In sabko harake final mein pahunchna bahut badi baat hai.

Did the children in your team Chillar Party support you?

One hundred thousand per cent. Also thanks to janta; itna saath diya hamara.

How did you manage to train the children?

Aap ko pata hai na mere bachche NGO ke hain?

Yes. They have never seen television before...

TV kya, unhone pizza tak bhi nahin dekha! Pehle round jeetne ke baad jab hum poochha kya khana hai, they said vada pao. I asked pizza nahin khaoge? Woh bole ‘pizza kya cheez hai?’ In these three months we did a lot of party, pizza and shopping.

Did they listen to you?

Laalach dena padta hai. Yeh karoge to chocolate milega....

What do they call you?

Guruma.

Guruma!

Pehle Didi, phir Guruma. Maine bola Ma, Amma hum ko kuch bhi bolo, dance theek se karna, bas. Itna dimaag khaata tha kabhi kabhi main ro padti thi. Then they would say ‘No Didi, we will do it’. Main bhi daraati thi, ‘If you do not do this, channel ko bolke tumko out kar dega’.... Uss mein ek hai Ganesh, four year old.

Can a child dance at four?

Five year old. Please tell Calcutta to vote for us. Hum jaante hain Calcuttawale rehamdil insaan hain. Amar Bangla, sonar Bangla. Please dada Sourav Ganguly ko bolo, dada Prosenjit — woh Biswajit ka beta hain na — ussko bolo, Rituparna ko bolo mere show dekhe aur mujhko vote kare. Hum yeh bachhon ke liye maang rahe hain. Chhote chhote bachche hain mere, kitne bade bade logo ko haraya hai — Shweta, Rosa....

Did you think having a team of children would get you audience sympathy?

Sympathy nahin chahiye. Hum mehnat ki haq maang rahe hain.

How will you react if you do not win this contest? After last time (the finals of Nach Baliye 3), people are worried whether you will again take the loss personally.

No, no. I will be very sporting. If I win, I will come to Calcutta. Woh Mother Dairy church hai na?

Mother Teresa?

Haan. Main Jesus aur Mary ko bahut maanti hoon. Haar bhi gaye, toh bhi wahan jaana hai.