Dancer and choreographer Dharmesh Yelande believes emotional backstories in dance reality shows work only when they are genuine, saying fabricated narratives take away from the essence of the performance.

Sharing his perspective, Dharmesh offers a balanced take. “Initially, I used to like it because I used to connect with their stories,” he says. However, he also acknowledges the changing preferences of audiences today. “I understand that now some people feel they want to see more dance and fewer stories,” he adds.

Dharmesh draws a clear line when it comes to authenticity. According to him, fabricated emotional narratives are where the problem lies. “I don’t like it if the stories are fake. Some contestants have real stories, and I would like to hear them. I also feel there is an audience for that as well —people who enjoy hearing these stories along with the dance,” he shares.

Beyond television, Dharmesh also reflects on his brief experience with Bollywood choreography. He worked on the film Tees Maar Khan after being given the opportunity by Farah Khan. He says, “Farah ma’am gave me that opportunity. And when I did that, I realized that I am not made for film choreography. I don’t have much interest in that area, and after that I never took up any other films.”