Anurag Basu: “I Won’t Be Able To Judge Adult Reality Shows”

Basu has judged “Super Dancer” and “Sabse Bada Dramebaaz” — both featuring children — and now he is back to judging “Super Dancer – Chapter 2”, which went on air on Saturday. The show features children aged 4 to 13.

Asked why he enjoys judging younger talent, Basu told IANS here: “In the show, we are not criticizing while judging a performance. We are just trying to guide them to channelise their talent in the right direction. That’s very enjoyable for me.

“I love these kids because they are innocent and honest, not like budding adult stars that participate in reality shows and try to be diplomatic to win your heart. I am not saying who is right or wrong. It’s just that, I won’t be able to judge adult reality shows… Spending time with these kids is joyful.”

Basu, who has made films like “Barfi!” and “Jagga Jasoos” that celebrate innocence, also spoke about how constant interaction with children inspired him to make films on these themes.

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“I’m one of those film directors who does not like to use song-dance sequences in films. In fact, in the beginning, there are no dance sequences in my films. However, as I started interacting with children for these dance reality shows, I developed a fondness towards dance and children’s storytelling. I explored that in ‘Barfi!‘ and ‘Jagga Jasoos‘.”

Considering the wave of change in Indian cinema, wherein the good old dance-song staples are diminishing, asked about it, Basu said: “If we look at our ancient tradition, we tell a story through song and dance; be it folk theatre, nautanki etc… We incorporated that culture in our cinema in the early days.

“I see no point of comparing that with western cinema and change the style accordingly. So, I think if a filmmaker has the talent to tell a story, using song-dance as an integral part of the narration, it will never look outdated.”