Actor Karisma Kapoor brings her charm, grace, and unmatched Bollywood legacy to India’s Best Dancer Season 5 as a judge. Having delivered some of Hindi cinema’s most iconic dance numbers, she brings years of experience and an eye for performance to the panel. India’s Best Dancer Season 5 premiered and began streaming on June 6, 2026, on Sony LIV and Sony Entertainment Television. In an exclusive interview, Karisma Kapoor spoke at length about the show, contestants, co-judges.
After ruling the big screen for decades with many memorable performances, what inspired you to join India’s Best Dancer?
I’ve always loved the dance form. Dance form has been an integral part of my career. Apart from acting, all my songs and my movies, I’ve really thoroughly enjoyed doing that. So definitely, I think from last year, judging India’s Best Dancer has been an amazing experience. I think getting to mentor, getting inspired also, and inspiring these young talents from all over India. It’s a pleasure and an honor to do that.
To just see them, the way how amazingly they dance and the kind of journeys and struggles that they have and the way they work so hard to reach this platform, to be on India’s Best Dancer stage. That is so amazing. In my own way, I get to mentor them, tell them some tips of what I have done. It’s very heartwarming and I genuinely love doing that. Interacting with the youth of India, it’s a humbling experience and I absolutely love being a judge on India’s Best Dancer.
What’s it been like sharing the judging panel with Geeta Kapoor, Terrence Lewis, and now Jaaved Jaaferi?
Well, it’s been absolutely amazing. Of course, last year, Geeta, Terrence and me were there. This year, Jaaved Sir has joined us. And it’s been an amazing experience and a lot of fun. The camaraderie and the mutual respect for each other on the panel is so wonderful. So the energy, every week when we meet, we look forward to seeing the performances and meeting the contestants, but also as judges, meeting and judging together.
What makes India’s Best Dancer Season 5 stand out from other dance reality shows?
As the title may say, it’s India’s Best Dancer! We are choosing and mentoring these young talents from all over India who come here to show their amazing talent. That’s why India’s Best Dancer. And the theme every year keeps changing. Like last year, we had dance for every sort of dance form that they were doing. This year is very special because we are bringing back Bollywood. This is a dance form that maybe not all youngsters. To get them to perform ‘India Wala Dance’, as we call it, the dance that maybe you grew up with. I grew up with generations of Bollywood dancing. To bring that back and that nostalgia and euphoria of Bollywood dance to bring that to the stage, to bring that to the Indian audiences is what’s very special, especially about this season of India’s Best Dancer.
Beyond technical perfection, what qualities do you look for in a contestant?
We have to see technical, but for me, it is the emotion and the entertainment. Because that is what when you see an actor, an artist dancing, even a song, correct? It is not only the perfect step. It is how are they expressing themselves? How is the emotion coming through? How are their expressions? So I like to see the overall impact and emotion and entertainment of the act. It’s the three E’s, if I may tell you, the three E’s, entertainment, emotion and expressions.
Do you see a reflection of your younger self in any of the contestants?
I would say yes because when I would dance, a lot of people ask me, ‘What would you feel?’ I would just enjoy the dance form. And for me, I love my contestants when they forget everything and actually enjoy what they are doing, don’t stress; stress about the technicality or costumes. You must do it with abandon and be living in that moment of the dance. I see a lot of energy, a lot of thumkas. And I love to see that in them.
Having worked across films, OTT, and television, how do you balance these different mediums?
Each medium is very different. As an actor, it’s important for us to adapt to those mediums. And I think I find that extremely challenging also. Films is at a very different pace. It’s a much slower pace, more, much slower pace. Television has a very different pace. It’s very quick, very swift and a very long day for us. And a very quick, quick on the uptake. And even in OTT is very different because especially when you’re doing a show, which has eight to ten episodes, like in one day we may do a scene from episode one or seven or four or six, we don’t know. One has to be very well rehearsed. Because you have to know every scene, every episode, what is happening, to be able to streamline yourself. So, I enjoy the rigor of each form. And it’s very challenging and exciting.
What kind of stories or characters excite you today? Is there a dream role you still want to play?
Well, to be really honest, I’ve never thought of any dream role. I think I would put it in a different way that I’ve been lucky and fortunate enough to have played many, beautiful roles that made an impact. So, I think I would take it that I’m lucky enough that I got to play those kind of central roles and impactful roles that made a difference. So, definitely, I think that’s what today, as an artist, I’m looking for something exciting and challenging. I think I just look at it like that.
