Playback singer and actor Sreerama Chandra has made it to the finale week of dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 11. Sreerama, best known for his Bollywood songs like Subhaanallah, Ishq Risk, Balma, Allah Duhai Hai, Dil Hi Toh Hai, and more, participated in the dance show to challenge himself and come out of his comfort zone. The Free Press Journal caught up with the all-rounder for an exclusive interview.
Opening up about his experience of being a part of Jhalak Dikhhlaa Jaa 11, Sreerama gushes, "It's a whole different universe out there. I love it and it has been an amazing experience. Dance has always been an incredible part of music and I'm glad I got an opportunity to showcase my dancing skills. I'm loving every bit of it. I have given several Bollywood hits, hosted shows, and now I'm here in Jhalak Dikhhlaa Jaa as a contestant. I love challenges. I'm glad that I got the opportunities to explore myself in different formats of entertainment."
Revealing what motivated him to participate in the reality show after being in the music industry for nearly 16 years, Sreerama says, "Music, dance, art and overall entertainment have always been my motivation. I always related to singing, acting, being in the studio and performing on stage. These are the things I always wanted to do in life. I never got a chance to showcase my dancing skills and now I am glad to be a part of Jhalak Dikhhlaa Jaa, which is the No. 1 dance reality show in India. I've come back after 14 years on television. I won Indian Idol as a common man and now I'm in this show as a celebrity, so it feels really great. I always loved watching people dance but I wasn't a good dancer. I never learned dance. But I'm happy to learn that on the show now."
"Now that I've had a beautiful dancing journey, I'll incorporate my dancing into my singing and try to turn my shows and concerts into a proper high energy powerful source of entertainment," he adds. The show commenced in November 2023 and Sreerama believes he has come a long way. He has consistently received praises from judges and impressed the audiences with his acts. Sreerama says he enjoys dancing and it has become his love now. "I'm really enjoying Latin and Hip-Hop. I love Tango and Salsa and my choreographer Sonali Kar mixed Hip-Hop with it for one of the performances and after that act, Farah Khan ma'am said that my dance reminded her of Hrithik Roshan. It was a very very big compliment," he says.
Sreerama opens up about how he approaches learning new choreography under pressure and within tight time constraints. "I am used to it now. You have to learn a new style and song within just two to three days. Initially, I was very skeptical. I used to wonder if I'll be able to pull it or not. As days passed, we also performed on two songs in one episode. It is actually quite difficult to pick up a style or dance form and present it nicely. But my choreographer always says that I'm a raw dancer and that I learn very quickly. So I think it's a process. Initially, it is difficult due to time constraints but stage tak aate aate ho hi jata hai," he explains.
Sreerama believes he's not just a good singer but also a performer and this sets him apart from the other finalists. "I have experimented a lot and my growth is commendable. That's what Jhalak is all about. It is about a partial dancer becoming a complete dancer. I've given my best in every episode and our average score is 27.5 out of 30 till now. I'm not a professional dancer and have never participated in any other dance show before. I'm a perfect example of a contestant winning this show. That will be great because then I will be the one who won a singing as well as a dance reality show," he avers.
On a concluding note, Sreerama opens up about his future plans. "I have done a couple of films in the South. Now, after Jhalak, I definitely wish to do pan-India films. I want to be known as an actor as well as a complete performer,' he signs off.
