Hema Malini is back on television. A veteran of the small screen with DD shows like Nupur, Hema will be the judge on the new Colors show Dancing Queen, starting tonight at 10, along with Jeetendra. The show features 10 item girls — Mink Brar, Sanobar Kabir, Sambhavna Seth, Shwetha Menon, Anita Hassanandani, Barkha Bisht, Ishita Arun, Bruna Abdalah Christofoli, Meghna Naidu and Dipsshikha Nagpal — mentoring 10 aspiring dancers for a crack at the Dancing Queen crown. Here’s what Hema Malini has to say about the show and dancing...

You were one of the few leading stars who did so much work on television, right from the Doordarshan days...

I have been associated with TV for a long, long time. From Tera Panne to Nupur to Kamini Damini recently. But I have realised performing on television is not my cup of tea. Stars should stay away from television. Audiences want to see film stars in films.

Then why did you say “yes” to Dancing Queen?

I haven’t done reality shows before. This is the first time I am appearing on a reality show. So I thought this will be a new experience for me. I don’t know whether it will be a good experience or a bad one but it will be something new.

Haven’t you got other offers to judge reality shows?

Yes, other offers have been there but they have been for singing shows. Those I don’t think I am fit enough to judge. Dance is more interesting for me because I am a dancer myself. Dancing is close to my heart... That’s why I chose to do Dancing Queen.

Are you a regular watcher of reality shows on television? What do you think of them?

I do watch them but I am sure this one is not going to be about fights and jhatkas. We (she and Jeetendra) are there... so we will make sure that such things do not happen. The best thing I like about reality shows is the way the participants react when the judges say good or bad things about their performances. It is real! Not like our shooting experiences... “chalo, aankh kholo, glycerine daalo, take the shot!” It’s not that. Here, the emotions come naturally. They get hurt, they feel happy... they express it on the spot. I love that.

On what criteria will you judge the dancers?

That will depend on the performances. Whatever I feel when I watch them, whatever comes to mind naturally.... I cannot decide I will be like this, I will be like that. I am not going to hurt anyone but at the same time I am going to be a little firm also.

All the mentors on the show are item girls. What is your take on item songs?

Item songs have become a necessary bane in Indian cinema because of you! You people want them. It is the audience who wants them.

But is an item number different from a heroine’s dance?

Even the heroine does the same! Today’s heroines will do the same. But previously we would not be doing this. There would be another artiste for that job.

Any item girl or item song you particularly like?

They are all aspiring to be like Aroona Irani and Helen. They dance to their old songs only. Thehrao nahin hai... It is very tough, it is not easy. Item girls need to do a lot of hard work as well. She has to be graceful, she has to look beautiful plus she has to have the attractiveness about her.

What is the secret behind good dancing?

When you dance on stage, everybody should look at you... nobody should be able to take his eyes off you. Classical dance is a divine art. It connects the dancer with spirituality.

Pratim D. Gupta