In 2016, she was one of the participants on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. Six years and several popular dance numbers later, Nora Fatehi finds herself on the other side of the table — a clear marker of how far she has come. As she shares the judges’ panel with Karan Johar and Madhuri Dixit-Nene, she has the advantage of identifying with the contestants’ situations.

“I understand where they are coming from, and relate to what they are feeling every moment. I went up to each [participant] and said, ‘Don’t feel bad if I say anything; it’s only constructive criticism.’ They were happy to [take my feedback]. We have built that kind of rapport from the beginning,” she says. 

Her journey is a prime example of how the Colors show is the perfect platform to showcase one’s talent. “We, [as judges], are here to uplift and inspire [the contestants]. Jhalak opened a lot of doors for me, and was the turning point of my career.”

Dance reality shows have become as much about contestants putting their best foot forward, as about the drama — be it tiffs between participants, or emotional back-stories. It’s not surprising that reality shows are often accused of being scripted, but Fatehi defends them. “How much reality do you want? It’s TV at the end of the day. Even Kim Kardashian’s show [Keeping Up with the Kardashians] is choreographed to an extent. But here, the talent and their stories are real.”

After being the face of hits like Dilbar dilbar and Kamariya, Fatehi took the leap towards acting. Her performance in Bhuj: The Pride of India (2021), however, left the critics unimpressed. But she is undeterred. “Due to my upbringing, I was taught from an early age not to pay attention to criticism. I was part of a big project; that is huge in itself. Everything else doesn’t matter. I have given so many auditions, faced so many rejections, and given the favouritism that happens [in the industry], I used to feel I won’t [make it up to here]. Now, the kind of people I am working with and the scripts I am getting, it’s all interesting.”