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Akashh goes off the deep end!
By: Shaheen Parkar and Upala KBR
October 5, 2006

Farah Khan and Akashh Deep Saigal Akashh Deep Saigal's sudden tirade against Farah Khan, after he was voted out of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, has left her cold. Says Farah, "Some people can't take defeat. Akashh is a sore loser. In the 14 years that I've been in this profession, no one has pointed a finger at my integrity." Verbal diarrhoea While that's all Farah is willing to say on the issue, it is learnt that she's considering opting out of the show as it is proving to be a source of embarrassment for her (she and Akashh were a couple once). Says a source, "Everyday, there is something written about her and Akashh. It is uncomfortable for her as she has to explain things to her husband, Shirish Kunder." As soon as Saigal was voted out of the show (telecast last night), he grabbed the mike from the anchors and let go a volley at the judges. Says an onlooker who was present at the shoot, "It was scary and everyone was horrified. Akashh Deep went berserk. He spoke for an hour. He told Farah that he had always respected her but today he'd lost all admiration for her. When Sanjay tried to calm him down, he told him, "Ten years down the line, I will show you where I am and where you will be." He then targetted Shilpa and told her she was the worst judge, saying that she is constantly looking for ishaaras from Sandip Soparrkar (Jhalak's technical director) to give points." Psycho act! His co-contestants weren't spared either. He told Shveta Salve, "You may be a good dancer, but you're not a good human being." He also questioned how Mahesh Manjrekar fetched high scores for doing Lezim salsa, while he was given less marks for doing bhangra. He also took on Ajay Jadeja's cartwheel act, saying that got him points. The source further adds, "Farah did not want Sanjay and Shilpa to sort out the issue or come down to his level. She just sat there as he indulged in his verbal volleys. Akashh behaved like a psycho. He was so obsessed with Jhalak that he would snatch the cell phones of his Kyunki co-stars and send SMS votes for himself. Last week, he went to Guwahati for an event and visited a temple there. There is some buzz that he made some offerings there." Though Akashh has now vented his ire, post this incident Farah feels that he'll continue his tirade against her in the media. Bindi: I wasn't shocked by his behaviour Bindi Khare, Akashh Deep's choreographer, says that she wasn't taken aback by his maniacal outburst on the show. "It was certainly not a graceful exit. Jhalak is just a dance contest and someone has to go. My only regret is that due to Akashh's outburst, I wasn't given the opportunity to thank those who helped me on the show. I wanted to express my gratitude to the judges, the channel and Sandip Soparrkar for giving me this wonderful opportunity." Bindi says that Akashh is very unpredictable. "He was determined to prove himself. He would tell me that we were going to go very far in the contest, and I would tell him not to be overconfident. He wanted to be involved in the camera angles, lights and music, when he should have stuck to perfecting his dance. I think he took his ouster very badly." http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2006/october/144612.htm

Akashdeep Accuses Farah Khan of Being Unfair
Faridoon Shahryar, IndiaGlitz [Thursday, October 05, 2006]



Akashdeep Saigal is a sore loser. The 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Thi' star vented anger at former girl friend Farah Khan after being ousted from the Sony show 'Jhalak Dikhlaja'. The dance reality show has been like walking a tight-rope for Khan because very few people had known earlier that she had a relationship with temperamental Saigal.

Akashdeep didn't spare Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Shilpa Shetty, accusing them of being inefficient to judge a dance show like this. He even berated his fellow participants like Shveta Salve whom he called a good dancer but a bad human being. Farah Khan on her part is tightlipped about the whole thing and is considering opting out of the show as apparently she is having trouble explaining 'things' to her husband Shirish Kunder. Akashdeep earned fame by playing the highly negative character Ansh in 'KSBKBT' and he seems to be caught up in the web of his screen persona. As for Farah, how could she have fallen for such a crap chap anyways.

http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/25836.html

'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa'/ 'Dancing With The Stars'

Is our version a perfect twin or a poor cousin?

After Hours Correspondent

In a world where it's easier for reality series to imitate than innovate, Sony's adaptation of 'Strictly Come Dancing' (BBC) in 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa..' was eagerly awaited as a fresh format. The original is BBC Worldwide's most successful current format and acts as a blueprint for what might be achieved around the rest of the world. Has tweaking it to suit Indian audiences with too much 'Bollywoodisation' taken away its original combination of glamour, talent and passion as the participants learn a new dance form? The original UK version features eight celebrities, who have never danced before, paired with leading professional dancers to train and then compete in a live television knockout ballroom dancing competition. Whereas, in 'Jhalak..', all celebs except Sanjeev Kapoor are affiliated to Bollywood and are exposed to dancing at some point. Global Indian citizens who have seen the original miss out the fun of seeing an absolute novice in dance struggling to learn the salsa, cha cha, rumba and other graceful Latin American dance forms. Having briefed the contestants that they will learn a new dance form and then make them do Bollywood moves is seen as another reason. One of the ousted contestants had told this paper that, "If I knew I had to do all these jhatkas, then I might as well have joined 'Nach Baliye'". Another reason is that the panel of three judges, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Farha Khan and Shilpa Shetty, are not technically qualified to judge Latin American dance forms. Technical director Sandip Soparrkar conducts orientation workshops for all the contestants and judges. The original format also has three judges from different fields but each one of them are well versed in the various dance forms and point out their flaws like experts. Other reality shows in India like 'L'iL Champs' (Zee TV) reveal the votes received by the participants. A majority of participants on 'Jhalak..' have admitted that it would help to know the number of votes that they win or lose by. "As it is not in the original format, we too, do not show the votes received," says chief creative director, SET India, Sandiip Sikcand. The series is midway and one hopes it will get its act together and turn out to be as successful as it is worldwide.

'Akashdeep is a bad loser'

Shilpa Shetty wonders why the Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa contestant needed to disgrace himself in public

Subhash K Jha

Television actor Akashdeep Saigal's sore losing tactics on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa has left the judges shell-shocked. "You've fallen in my esteem," Akash told Farah while she sat in a shell-shocked stupor. "I'm 30. And I know your age. We'll be both around. Let's see what happens," he sniggered at Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Says Shilpa Shetty, "Akashdeep gave such a long speech, it was almost like he was getting a lifetime achievement award. But jokes apart, his exit from Jhalak Dikhla Jaa couldn't have been more disgraceful. There was no need for him to be so ugly and unpleasant about the whole thing. His remarks to Farah Khan were particularly hurtful and offensive. He had no business speaking like that. He has accused me of not using me own mind while judging his dance. Yet I was the one who gave Akash the highest marks."

"He's just a bad loser. Why couldn't he just accept the fact that others danced better than him instead of turning on us the minute he was eliminated? He said that I consult the Jhalak creative head Sandip Soparrkar before making my comments. Where is the time to consult anyone when the show is on? Once I reach the studio I do my job," she adds.

A lot of people feel Akashdeep was allowed to get abrasive on camera to boost the TRPs. But Shilpa refutes the charge. "No one knew what he had in mind when he took off suddenly. Of course, this is reality television. But none of us judges is going to allow our self-respect to be compromised for the sake of TRPs," she says.

The channel heads are not pleased with Akashdeep's farewell furore. Says a Sony source, "We certainly didn't expect this. And we do not endorse Akashdeep's behaviour. When we handed over the microphone to Akash we never expected him to create such a tamasha. He just wouldn't stop his tirade against the judges. We felt very embarrassed. All the judges are superachievers. Akash should have been more guarded in expressing his grievances."

'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa'/ 'Dancing With The Stars'

Thursday, October 05, 2006 23:38 IST

Is our version a perfect twin or a poor cousin?

In a world where it's easier for reality series to imitate than innovate, Sony's adaptation of 'Strictly Come Dancing' (BBC) in 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa..' was eagerly awaited as a fresh format. The original is BBC Worldwide's most successful current format and acts as a blueprint for what might be achieved around the rest of the world.

Has tweaking it to suit Indian audiences with too much 'Bollywoodisation' taken away its original combination of glamour, talent and passion as the participants learn a new dance form?

The original UK version features eight celebrities, who have never danced before, paired with leading professional dancers to train and then compete in a live television knockout ballroom dancing competition. Whereas, in 'Jhalak..', all celebs except Sanjeev Kapoor are affiliated to Bollywood and are exposed to dancing at some point.

Global Indian citizens who have seen the original miss out the fun of seeing an absolute novice in dance struggling to learn the salsa, cha cha, rumba and other graceful Latin American dance forms. Having briefed the contestants that they will learn a new dance form and then make them do Bollywood moves is seen as another reason. One of the ousted contestants had told this paper that, "If I knew I had to do all these jhatkas, then I might as well have joined 'Nach Baliye'".

Another reason is that the panel of three judges, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Farha Khan and Shilpa Shetty, are not technically qualified to judge Latin American dance forms. Technical director Sandip Soparrkar conducts orientation workshops for all the contestants and judges. The original format also has three judges from different fields but each one of them are well versed in the various dance forms and point out their flaws like experts.

Other reality shows in India like 'L'iL Champs' (Zee TV) reveal the votes received by the participants. A majority of participants on 'Jhalak..' have admitted that it would help to know the number of votes that they win or lose by. "As it is not in the original format, we too, do not show the votes received," says chief creative director, SET India, Sandiip Sikcand.

The series is midway and one hopes it will get its act together and turn out to be as successful as it is worldwide.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1056906

UNFAIR: Akashh Deep accused judges of Jhalak Dikhhla Ja, including ex-girlfriend Farah, of being unfair to him

Akashh Deep Sehgal is out of Sony's dance show Jhalak Dikhhla Ja. Eklavya of Ekta Kapoor's flagship Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi was voted out from the show amidst high drama. While Akashh Deep was unavailable for comment, an eye-witness on the sets told MiD DAY, "Akashh Deep was irritated throughout the show yesterday. Things were just not going in his favour."
Halfway through the show, host Parmeet Sethi asked the judges Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Farah Khan and Shilpa Shetty who they thought should be out of the competition. Bhansali replied that Akashh Deep should be shown the door because he was a bad performer. This made Akashh Deep mad with rage. "Why should Bhansali reply to such a question so specifically? Couldn't he have instead said that it would be clear once the results were out?"
The tension on the set increased when Akashh Deep was told about the final decision. He gave it back to the judges with a long speech. He told Shilpa Shetty that she had no mind of her own. She simply followed whatever Bhansali and Farah said about a contestant. He asked Farah why she praised Mahesh when he did a lavni in the salsa round. She praised even Ajay Jadeja and Sanjeev Kapoor who fumbled in their steps, he added.
Though the final decision rests 50 per cent each with the judges and the rest with the public, Akashh Deep feels the judges conspired to throw him out. A friend of Akashh Deep present on the sets tells us, "Akashh Deep is terribly miffed with the judges. He is sure the judges did him in. He is particularly miffed with his ex-lover Farah Khan, who he feels is nursing a personal vendetta against him."
Akashh Deep's ouster was shot yesterday evening, and will be telecast on Thursday. Akashh Deep told the producer Siddharth Basu that they should telecast what he expressed in its entirety. Basu assured him that they would, but after editing the footage to some extent.

I don't believe in the concept of space in a relationship!'

Getting the right trot!

Mahesh Manjrekar has managed to woo the judges and viewers alike with his own interpretation of combining Indian dance forms with the Latin American styles of dancing in 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa..' (Sony). Whilst performing, he walks in a certain way, that all on the sets try to copy, but fail to get it the way he does.

Ajay Jadeja is the one who cornered Mahesh and both were seen practising the unique trot till Ajay had perfected it. Mahesh has also won everyone's heart by being very helpful and supportive of other participants and choreographers.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1057115