Jaaved Jaaferi, the actor and comedian who introduced the country to break dance, reflected on his meeting with legend Michael Jackson (MJ) in New York.
Michael Jackson, often known as the King of Pop, was a singer and dancer who made significant contributions to music, dance, and fashion throughout the course of his four-decade career. He also popularised the dance style “moonwalk.”
Jaaved, who performed on a special edition of the famous dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, reflected on meeting MJ, saying, “There was an award function in New York where he was honoured by an Indian society. He came on stage when there was no one else present except me, as I was hosting the show at that moment. As he was coming up, I shared that moment with him, and when he was leaving, I was like, ‘I won’t let him go,’ and I asked, ‘Can I give you a hug?’ He said, ‘Yes, of course, and he lovingly hugged me.”
“It was a very special moment because Michael Jackson hugged me. So, it will remain with me forever. I had introduced him on stage at the event, and he said, ‘Oh, you did a wonderful job, Thank you.’ I said, ‘It’s a big thing for me.’ He is on a different level,” said the Bala fame actor.
He recalled how his pregnant wife insisted on seeing MJ play live in Mumbai. “When Michael Jackson performed in Mumbai, my wife was eight months pregnant (with Meezaan Jaffery) and insisted on watching the event live. “She came with me in a heavily pregnant state, and we stood in the front row cheering for him,” he said.
Sreerama Chandra and his choreographer, Sonali Kar, delivered a captivating performance on the celebrity dance reality programme for the song Roshni Se from the film Asoka. The team reinvented the iconic tune in their own distinct style, promising a performance that redefines the song’s appeal.
Talking about the performance, Jaaved said, Sreeram, I remember when you performed on Bol Baby Bol Rock N Roll. Obviously, I feel a bit attached because you did so well on it. I’m just recalling the way I’ve seen you. Like Michael Jackson, millions of people want to be a complete performer, and you also have a journey that you are trying to become a complete performer.”
“You sing so well, and as a dancer and performer, I think it’s fantastic that you’ve taken MJ as a reference point. I really wish you all the best. You lit the stage on fire. As a performer, you have reached that complete performer status; you’re on the way,” he added.
Talking about Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 11, the dance reality show started with a bang, and its grand finale episode will be telecast in the first week of March 2024. After Karuna’s elimination, the show has Shiv Thakare, Adrija Sinha, Shoaib Ibrahim, Manisha Rani, Sagar Parekh, Dhanashree Verma, and Sreerama Chandra in the finale race. Fans are now eagerly waiting to know who will win the dance show.
Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa airs on Sony.
