The very first platform on Indian television to give dance its due respect– Zee TV’s iconic Dance India Dance is back on your screens with an all-new season. Changing the way dance is perceived in the country, DID lent Ummeed to countless dancers across the country. The platform introduced some spectacular talent each season, made a distinct mark for themselves in the entertainment fraternity. For the very first time, people across the country sat up and started looking at dance, choreography and allied fields as serious career avenues. This game changer set higher and higher benchmarks with each successive season and consistently outdid itself in showcasing brilliance and innovation in dance. Now in its fifth season that premieres on 27th June at 9 PM, the show will present itself in the form of the ‘Biggest Battleground of Dance’, where each participant will scale new horizons of perfection, poise, presence and grace and challenge the others to #BeatThat!

A nationwide hunt to scout for India’s most talented dancers began earlier this year across 17 cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Indore, Ranchi, Guwahati, Raipur, Siliguri, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Bhubaneshwar, Jaipur, Patna, Lucknow, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Nagpur and Vadodara.  Contestants underwent layers of screening and finally the most deserving candidates were hand-picked.

To groom and hone the talent this year is an all-new trio of masters who bring with them the renewed vigor of youth, an undying passion for dance and of course  and many years of training as dancers and choreographers.

The panel includes the charming Mudassar Khan who is the man behind some of the most popular dance hits of recent times -  Humka Peeni Hai (Dabangg), Dhinka Chika (Ready)  and Party All Night (Boss). The versatile Gaiti Siddiqui from the popular choreographer duo Uma-Gaiti (Known for the chartbusters from Rockstar, Karthik calling Karthik and Oye Lucky Lucky Oye), has been a coach and creative guide for countless DID stars over the years and steps in as a judge this time around. Life comes a full circle for season 5’s third judge - Punit J. Pathak - who was first seen as a contestant and a finalist of Season 2. Being on the show as a judge stands testimony to how swiftly this young king of contemporary has carved a niche for himself in the world of dance.

The trio will each mentor a group of contestants and hone their skills through rigorous training, workshops and choreography that push their limits.  Actor Mithun Chakravarty will guide and and motivate the contestants as the Grandmaster. The charismatic Jay Bhanushali returns as the host. The 15 week season will see weekly eliminations basis the judge’s scorecards till it get it Top 10, after which the junta will decide  who amongst their favourite contestants will be the winner. 

Mr Pradeep Hejmadi, Zee TV Business Head said, “Dance India Dance, as a franchise, has grown from strength to strength with each successive season. The anticipation amongst viewers is at an all-time high as DID returns after nearly two years. The show will only fortify our weekend offering as it always engages newer and wider audiences, given its distinct youth skew. This season, we have on board an impressive trio of young, dynamic masters- Mudassar, Gaiti and Punit. While Mudassar has already won audiences over as judge of season 4, we’re excited to see Punit, who came in as a contestant on Season 2, swiftly progress to the other side of the table as a Master. Gaiti has been working hard as a creative supervisor for countless DID acts and is an unsung hero … so we were keen to have her face the camera this season as a master. We have great conviction in the ability of the masters to train the contestants and shoulder the responsibility of discovering the best and the most deserving talent.”

Akash Chawla – Business Head of ZEEL’s Creative & Production Studio, Essel Vision Productions Ltd (EVPL) said, “Season 5 promises to #BeatThat with a trio of young dynamic judges, innovations in terms of dance styles and exploring a new format where contestants will face each other in a battleground of dance and challenge each other to solo, duo and trio combats! The auditions across 17 cities has given us some spectacular talent and we look forward to a great season.”

The passion, the frenzy, the camaraderie, the rehearsals, the victories, the disappointments, and above all, the spectacular talent is back as the biggest battle for the coveted title has just begun! #BeatThat.

So get ready to groove as DID 5 is set to hit the tube on Saturday 27^th June, at 9 PM only on Zee TV!