| | | | Rati Agnihotri with her dance partner Feroz Khan | Rati Agnihotri has always been counted among the better dancers of the Hindi film industry. She probably expected a thumping reaction to her performance in a dance show. But that wasn't the case.
Rati and her husband Anil Virwani were stunned by the unsavoury reactions to her performance in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa's first episode telecast last Thursday. Today, when the second airs, the actress and her real life partner present their point of view.
Charge No 1: Rati's costume disaster
Rati: I take the blame. They wanted me to wear a bright orange, but I chose the rust orange. When I wore that outfit, I somehow felt that it wouldn't click. My choice misfired. But by then, it was too late. There was no time to get anything new done. This Thursday, I am wearing turquoise blue and I am sure it will be appreciated. Short kurta mujhpe nahin jamega. I have to keep my age and size in consideration.
Anil: Rajshri had danced in a double sari to the same song in Brahmachari. Rati's choreographer told her that she wouldn't be able to dance in that; it would be too tight for her. And, Rati doesn't want to wear short and revealing clothes, no matter if that goes against her. She never wore when she was a heroine, she won't wear it now either.
Charge No 2: Rati's movements were slow
Rati: I had three slipped discs and put on weight especially after the last one, which was very severe and confined me to complete bed rest for two months under traction. I even had to undergo two surgeries. This was the reason why I put on weight. And not to forget, my dislocated arm. I'd been out of town for a shoot.
| | The judges have not been partial to Rati. They were ridiculously over-generous to Sanjeev Kapoor. Even Mahesh Manjrekar scored more than he should have. There were no technical skills on display when Mahesh danced. They got up to even hug him"
— Anil Virwani | On my return, my three pet Labradors in the terrace were excited to see me after a long gap. I was coming down the stairs and they were chasing me down and I tripped and went rolling down the stairs. In order to save my back, I landed on my arm. This happened just a week prior to the rehearsals. But I still went ahead with the show. All said and done, when I am old, I will still be proud that I had the guts to do Jhalak Dikhhla Ja in my mid-forties with a back which was, to say the least, traumatic.
Anil: My wife is 200-films-old. She has tremendous respect in the industry. Don't expect her to dance like an item-girl. Add this to those slipped discs. I still cannot forget the day when she got her first slipped disc.
She was doing a film with Kumar Gaurav and some idiots told her to sit on a cycle with Bunty and come down- hill. The second one occurred at her niece's wedding, 12 years ago, and the third which was the worst, happened in December last year after she returned from the shooting of Karma, Confessions and Holi. Even at home, she has many dos and don'ts. I appreciate her choreographer who makes her do the stretches and physiotherapy before the rehearsals.
Charge No 3: Rati received more points than she deserved
Rati: The judges may have felt very happy to see someone of my age to have come out and danced (the last time I danced was in Tawaif in '84), but I am sure that they weren't partial to me.
Anil: My wife scored just what she deserved. The judges have not been partial to her. In fact, they were ridiculously over-generous to Sanjeev Kapoor. There was no movement. Just because a chef cannot dance, he is allowed to get away with high marks.
Bloody nonsense! Even Mahesh Manjrekar scored more than he should have. There were no technical skills on display when Mahesh danced. He was simply entertaining. What were those marks given for? They got up to even hug him. Why single out Rati? |
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