~ Walks away with the coveted Dance India Dance trophy and a cash prize of Rs.5 lakhs ~
National, 18thFebruary 2018: After weeks of entertaining audiences and leaving viewers with anticipation about who will walk away with the coveted ‘Taqdeerkisunehritopi’, Dance India Dance Season 6 drew to a close this weekend. Over the years, the show that has become a beacon of hope for numerous dancers across the country and has served as a stepping stone for the careers of some of India’s much sought-after dancing stars and is the perfect embodiment of Zee TV’s core philosophy AajLikhengeKal. The pioneering dance reality show, this weekend, crowned SanketGaonkar as its winner amidst much fan-fare and celebration. Karnataka’s dance prodigy, who has grown up in a small town called Ankola, SanketGaonkar was presented the Dance India Dance trophy crowning him as the ultimate dance superstar along with a cash prize of Rs.5 lakhs. Finalists Sachin Sharma and Piyush Gurbhele were announced as the first and second runners-up respectively and were also awarded with cash prizes to celebrate their journey and achievements on the show. The Dance India Dance Grand Finale also witnessed the presence of the gorgeous and multi-talented Chitrangada Singh who is set to make her television debut as a judge on Zee TV's next non fixtion show DID Li’l Masters. Joining her at the Finale was the upcoming show’s dynamic host Jay Bhanushali and the terrific team of Dance India Dance including Grand master Mithun Da, masters Marzi, Mudassar and Mini, and the show’s hosts Amruta Khanvilkar and Sahil Khattar, who collectively raised the evening’s entertainment quotient.Speaking about his victory, an elated Sanketsaid, “Dance India Dance has been a great learning experience for me. Ever since I took my first steps in the show as a part of ‘Master Mini Ke Master Blasters’, I have wanted to learn everything there is to learn about dance and make everyone proud. The entire team, including Dada and my fellow contestants have been very supportive and have encouraged me throughout my journey on the show. They have helped me in moving a step forward in my dance journey. My training and practice sessions every week focused on improving and honing my skills and scaled up my performance in front of the judges. I am glad to have fostered some truly special bonds which I will cherish for life. It’s yet to completely sink in that I have won Dance India Dance; I am really excited and want to thank Zee TV for giving me this amazing opportunity and platform.
Celebrating another successful season of Dance India Dance, Deepak Rajadhyaksha, ZEE TV Deputy Business Head said, “This season of Dance India Dance was extremely special for us; it was our first big non fiction launch after we announced our new brand ideology – AajLikhengeKal. And, truly, the contestants this year have done just that! Their unparalleled passion for dance and drive to make it their profession has enabled them to stand tall and build a future for themselves. We would like to congratulate SanketGaonkar for his victory. The world is now his playing field and we hope that he is able to give wings to his dreams and create his future in dance. As we bid goodbye to another blockbuster season of Dance India Dance, we also set the precedent for the launch of our next show DID Li’l Masters. We hope that the new season will touch greater heights!”
Commenting on her experience of bagging the coveted trophy for her troupe of Master Blasters in her debut season as judge, Master Mini said, “It’s been an exhilarating journey for me. I am amazed and surprised because it’s still to sink in that my team has won! Being a debutante judge on the show and winning is very overwhelming. Seeing Sanket acing every challenge on the show with ease and watching him grow as a performer has been a proud moment for me. He has been my favourite student and together we put in a lot of efforts in each act which made him the top-voted contestant throughout the season. I would like to thank all the fans from the bottom of my heart for voting for Sanket and my team. Congratulations Sanket, you deserve this glory! Shine on!”
Veteran actor and dancer Mithun Da, delighted on yet another successful season of Dance India Dance said, “Season 6 for me has been an absolute delight! The superlative talent that DID brings to the forefront season after season is unmatched. Groomed by ace Masters like Mini Pradhan, MarziPestonji and Mudassar Khan, the contestants have truly raised the bar this season with their flawless and jaw-dropping performances. Every contestant is close to my heart and each one of them is a winner in the truest sense. This season has been a memorable journey of dance and my best wishes to all of them for their future endeavours.”
The Grand Finale of Dance India Dance was a spectacular coming together of talent and magnificence. Celebrating 10 years of DID-driven dance mania in the nation, the 3-hour special episode started with a stunning opening act by the finalists of the show followed by mesmerizing performances by the masters – MarziPestonji, Mini Pradhan and Mudassar Khan. Living up to the theme, the Grand Fianle also brought together some of the most loved Dance India Dance alumni including Salman Yusuf Khan, Mohena, Sanam, Faisal Khan, Jeetumoni, Cornell, Mitthu and many more who set the stage on fire and proved to the nation, once again, why Dance India Dance is a premier star-maker platform on Indian television. But, at the end of the day, it was up to the Top 5 finalists – SanketGaonkar, Sachin Sharma, Piyush Gurbhele, Shivan Wankhede and NainikaAnasure – to show the audiences why they are India’s top dancers and wow the nation with their indomitable talent!
About Zee TV
Zee TV, the flagship channel of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd was launched in October 1992. With a reach of more than 173 countries and access to 1+ Billion viewers globally, Zee TV has created strong brand equity and is the largest media franchise serving the South Asian Diaspora. Realizing its strength in programming and the need for Indian entertainment in the overseas market, it launched Zee TV in the UK / Europe (1995), the USA (1998), Africa (1998) and is available across five continents. Nearly two decades since its launch, Zee TV has driven the growth of the satellite and cable industry in India. The popularity of Zee arises from its understanding of Indian culture and beliefs that are reflected in its programming. Zee TV’s content library delivers a variety of choices for the great Indian middle class ranging from non-fiction formats that celebrate the talent of India’s common man to fiction shows that deliver strong messages and drive positive change in society while entertaining viewers. Zee TV’s content resonates with its core ethos - ‘AajLikhengeKal’ that aims to inspire viewers to take charge of their destinies giving wings to their dreams and aspirations.
Since its inception, Zee TV is a pioneer in the Indian television space – be it introducing singing talent based reality television with Sa Re Ga Ma in 1995, revolutionizing the way dance was perceived in the country with Dance India Dance in 2009 or encouraging children’s creativity, spontaneity and acting skills through India’s Best Dramebaaz in 2013. Zee TV introduced a wave of popular game shows like Just Ek Minute, SaanpSeedi, Antakshari and clutter-breaking fiction concepts that were way ahead of their time such as Tara, BanegiApniBaat, Chattan, Hasratein, Rishtey, Sailaab, Zee Horror show, Amaanat, Ashirwaad, Basera, KoshishEk Asha, Gharki Lakshmi Betiyann and MehendiTereNaam Ki. All these programmes proved to be major primetime successes and set benchmarks for television. As a socially responsible broadcaster, Zee TV has touched upon a number of diverse social issues through path-breaking shows like AgleJanamMoheBitiya Hi Kijo, Aapki Antara, SaatPhere, Punarvivaah, AfsarBitya, PhirSubahHogi and DoliArmaanon Ki. Some of the channel’s biggest primetime successes in recent times include Jhansi Ki Rani, PavitraRishta, Qubool Hai, Kumkum Bhagya, KundaliBhagya, Jamai Raja, Brahmarakshas, Piyaa Albela, Zindagi Ki Mehek, and Woh …Apna Sa.