Aparajita Ghosh Das and Soumili Biswas judge the show; the contestants shake a leg(Top); Rimjhim Mitra does a Basanti from Sholay, while also grooving to Aaja nachle and Mast kalandar. Pictures by Pabitra Das

In the countdown to STAR One’s new celebrity dance show Zara Nachke Dikha, which invaded your homes on July 14, budding dancers in the city battled it out on Friday evening at GD Birla Sabhagar.

The stage was set for STAR One Anandalok Nach Ke Dikha a fortnight back when 10 contestants were selected from a pool of applicants on the basis of thee dance tapes they had sent. The 10 were split into two teams, boys versus girls. Together they jived to the title track of Aaja Nach Ke Dikha to kick off the proceedings. Filling up the mark-sheets in the front row were popular telly faces Soumili Biswas and Aparajita Ghosh Das, who presided as judges for the evening while Sidhu, frontman of Cactus, kept the crowds entertained with his banter as the show host.

In leather, shimmer and shine, boys and girls singled out from both the teams made separate appearances to liven up the four rounds in this Battle of the Sexes. The first round was Ikke Pe Ikka, a boy-girl pair trying to do an Abhishek-Rani from Bunty Aur Babli. Round two was Hum Tum, with two members of each team moving and shaking to Jhoom barabar jhoom. Up next was the Challenge round with all five participants from each team trying to outdo each other in the power-packed Aa dekhe zara. Last up was a Concept round based on each team picking a dance form and grooving to it. Boys picked hip hop and shook a leg to the beats of Kismat Konnection while the girls chose salsa and swayed gracefully to a Latino number.

The show was jazzed up by a sprinkling of performances by actress Rimjhim Mitra and her troupe of dancers. Rimjhim sizzled on stage to a medley of Bollywood chartbusters — Move your body, Mehbooba and Aa khushi se khudkhushi — and later she even slipped into the role of village belle Basanti from Sholay. Unish Kuri Modhur Kantho winner Nilakshi also took the stage to belt out Yeh mera dil, Aaj ki raat and more.

After cheers, debates and votes, the moment of truth. Judged on the basis of expression, steps and co-ordination, the girls outscored the boys. “The girls fared better in expressing themselves,” explained judges Aparajita and Soumili before handing out the gift hampers and trophies.