A blast from the VHS past
Jaaved Jaaferi, the man who has been making us groove and laugh for decades, is getting ready to judge the next season of India’s Best Dancer. And honestly, there’s no one better suited for the job. The veteran actor recently opened up about the icons who shaped his love for dance, and the list is as eclectic as his career.
Growing up in an era when catching international content meant hunting down a VHS tape, Jaaved had to work hard to feed his dance obsession. He recalls devouring the moves of Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, ballet legend Mikhail Baryshnikov, and of course, the one and only Michael Jackson. “When we got access to VHS, we started seeing international dance and were exposed to it,” he shared.
The Bollywood heroes who moved him
While Hollywood legends lit up his childhood, it was the desi stars who truly captured his heart. Topping that list is none other than the electrifying Shammi Kapoor. Jaaved says Shammi wasn’t about technical perfection—it was about pure, uninhibited joy. “Even though he wasn’t a structured dancer in the formal sense, his body had movement and music embedded in it. The way he used music was incredible,” Jaaved revealed.
And then came the new wave. Jaaved has been an ardent admirer of Prabhu Deva and Hrithik Roshan, two men who redefined dance in Indian cinema. “Later on, of course, I loved Prabhu Deva and Hrithik Roshan,” he said, making it clear that great movement never goes out of style.
Choreographers who changed the game
It’s not just performers who get Jaaved’s respect—he has a soft spot for the masterminds behind the scenes. He specifically shouted out choreographers like Prabhu Deva and Raju Sundaram for their groundbreaking work. According to him, these visionaries brought a new language to Indian cinema, blending storytelling with rhythm in ways that still influence generations of dancers.
With India’s Best Dancer season 5 around the corner, fans are buzzing to see Jaaved bring his decades of experience and unmissable charm to the judging panel. If his dance idols are anything to go by, we’re in for a season full of style, substance, and serious swag.