A carnival on the sets

Urmila Matondkar on her first Chak Dhoom Dhoom episode, and birthday plans next week.

Red is the colour of happiness and passion for me. So it was most apt to dress up in that colour for my entry on Chak Dhoom Dhoom,” beams actor Urmila Matondkar, the new celebrity judge on the Colors’ dance reality show who has replaced Mallika Sherawat.

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“I thought that the contestants would be a bit uncomfortable, nervous or just apprehensive about a new person judging them. But to my surprise, they welcomed me as if it were episode one. I was overwhelmed with their warmth.”

Matondkar’s co-judges, choreographer Terence Lewis and actor Jaaved Jaffery, put together two performances that preceded hers for her first episode that airs tonight.

Dazzling in a red outfit designed by Manish Malhotra, Matondkar entered and danced to a mix of Kambakkht ishq… and Mehbooba mehbooba…. Team Kathak Rockers made her sing Aaj jaane ki zidd na karo… with them too.

“Manish has designed my look which will be semi-formal evening wear most of the time, unless there are occasions when I need to be in Indian formal wear. I trust him. He’s always made me look cool,” she asserts.

“The atmosphere and the look of the set transported me to Goa’s carnival scene. They are colourful with a strong presence of the colour red. I had some apprehensions before appearing on the show but now, I’ve settled into the scene.”

Matondkar, whose last film EMI released two years ago, will also be bringing in her birthday on the sets of her new show. “I don’t know. I’ve heard some surprise is being planned, so I have been completely kept out of it,” she says, laughing. “Personally, with the show having started off the way it did,

I had no time to plan anything. I haven’t shopped for anything to wear on that day too. Maybe, on the weekend, I will make some time to do that.”

Her parents are also happy for her re-entry to the small screen, this time as a judge. “They’re really looking forward to the episode tonight. I have butterflies in my tummy because I’m judging other dancers, who according to me are God’s greatest worshippers. I’ve danced passionately all my life without the fear of being judged,” says Matondkar, adding, “But now when I have to judge, I have to remember that people are going to watch me. And I have to be encouraging and objective.”