ARTICLE: Mithun da speaks out ..

Mithun Dance

Siddhartha Mathur

From shaking a leg on happy occasions to doing a pro job on stage, the common Indian has come a long way.

"The immense talent stepping out of small towns into the national/international limelight amazes me as much as it gives me the pangs to think that in our time there was no platform like talent shows on TV," says two-times National Award-winning actor Mithun Chakraborty, judge of the Zee TV programme Dance India Dance, in a telephonic interview.

"People are a lot more unabashed and the young lot of wannabes so ambitious, so focused and yes, talented too. And a good job on the stage in the TV show guarantees attention of those who matter in showbiz. So, it's a win-win situation," says the discerning actor, who chooses not to accept just any role coming his way.

"Besides Luck being directed by Soham Shah (Kaal), I am busy wrapping up Veer, a tale of a warrior tribe, in which I play a warlord and the father of characters played by the producer Salman and Sohail Khan. Bangla films I have always been doing and I even host a TV dance show for the Bengali circuit," he says, giving an insightinto what's been keeping him busy.

Any Mithun-da moments on the show?

"Lots! It is so flattering, so humbling when someone does a step that is my trademark. But it is original style that I always admire," says the star of the smash-hit musical of the 1980s 'Disco Dancer' , adding that he was always improvising and giving a personal touch to the steps his choreographers would give him during his prime.

"Honesty alone can take any aspirant anywhere. Expressions that are straight from the heart strike a chord instantly. Be true, be honest and all that you are worth will shine through your performance," advises the doyen.