DID made me realise I belong to dancing: Shakti

India’s latest dancing sensation Shakti Mohan needs no introduction. The girl has literally danced her way into the hearts of millions of TV viewers across India. She was declared the winner of the coveted ‘Taqdeer ki Topi’ in the second season of India’s most popular dance show ‘Dance India Dance’. Taking time off from her busy schedule, Shakti shared her experience and her future aspirations with Bikas Bhagat of Spicezee.com . Following are the excerpts: Q. Share with us the euphoria that followed after you were crowned the prestigious ‘Taqdeer Ki Topi’ at the grand finale of ‘DID’ season 2. A. It was truly exhilarating. It was a heady concoction of happiness, mirth, joy, even pain and when my name was finally announced I really felt like being on top of the world. Initially, I couldn’t believe what I heard. I felt as if I had gone deaf as I wasn’t even able to hear my name. But as I saw Terrance sir jumping, I sensed that I was the winner...but I still felt that it’s a dream. I was honestly not expecting it and there was nothing I could do to prepare for such a surprise. The victory was unbelievable. Nothing can surpass that feeling when you put in all your efforts to achieve something and you ultimately get it.Q. Was it always dance that you wanted to pursue or you had some other dreams as well? A. Dance has always been my passion. I have been dancing since childhood. But yes, I had to concentrate on my studies as well. After graduation from Delhi’s Miranda House, I joined Mumbai University to complete my Masters in Political Science and was a pretty good student and stood third in my college. I was thinking of appearing for IAS but my plans changed after I joined Terrance sir’s dance academy. Then, I got serious about dancing, especially contemporary. Q. How was your journey throughout the DID season 2? A. DID was truly an enriching experience. It was like an adventurous journey filled with emotions, drama, comedy, fun, laughter and all feelings converging into the same passion shared by everyone around me - and that was dancing. I’ll cherish it my whole life. I came with a dream to perform and give my best, and Zee TV provided the right platform to showcase the talent of so many dancers who came from different parts of India. It was a privilege to be around some awesome dancers. Future of dance looks bright with initiatives like Dance India Dance. While entering the show I was just a normal dancer, but after interacting with mentors, I came to understand the nuances of choreography and realized that this is where I belong. Q. So what now, where do you plan to go from here? A. Well, haven’t yet decided. But surely, I’ll first celebrate my win. I owe this prize to a lot of people. My parents, my friends and of course my sisters, they have stood by me all along. It’s been quite a while that I have spent some quality time with them, so now I want to give them all a big treat and party big time with friends and folks. Q. Is Bollywood the next level you’ll move on to? A. Ah…well, that’s a tricky one! There are no immediate plans but while we were competing for the top slot, Bollywood came calling! The adorable Farah Khan came in one of the episodes as a special guest. I have been in awe of her dancing ever since. In that show, she did announce that the winner will feature in her forthcoming film ‘Tees Maar Khan’, alongside Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif. I am super excited about it! Q. What do you have to say about your co-contestants? A. Every one of them is an exceptional dancer. They have an incredible passion and a fire which automatically pronounces them as winners. I will never be able to forget them. Q. Any message for all your fans who supported you all the way to the top? A. First of all, I wouldn’t call them my fans; rather they are the wonderful audience who were always with me, all through out the season. They have an equal share in the ‘Sunheri Taqdeer ki Topi` and I would take this as an opportunity to thank them all for making a simple girl like me win this prestigious award. It does mean a lot. Thank you very much. And love you all!