Karisma Kapoor says Raj Kapoor would have loved Nikhil Patnayak’s act on India's Best Dancer 4

On India's Best Dancer – Season 4, the spotlight shines on contestant Nikhil Patnayak, who delivers a performance that deeply resonates with judge Karisma Kapoor.

Reflecting on the act, Karisma, the granddaughter of the legendary Raj Kapoor, remarked, "Your act was very beautiful! Honestly, I think my grandfather would have been very, very happy if he had seen this act. He would have given both of you many blessings. I also think the lyrics of this song actually represents what my family stands for; we don't want money, we want applause. Our art should be loved by the people, and I think that is the most important thing. This value system that we were taught—that money is secondary, but the right values, life, family—these are all very, very important and I think that's why our family has generations of artists. It's all thanks to my Dadaji, Raj Kapoor." 

The upcoming episodes of India's Best Dancer – Season 4 will be infused with a cinematic flair, as the show celebrates Bollywood's illustrious history. Each episode will feature performances inspired by different decades of Hindi cinema, paying tribute to the evolving styles of Bollywood. Joining the panel of judges—Karisma Kapoor, Geeta Kapur, and Terence Lewis—is acclaimed filmmaker Anurag Basu, adding further excitement to the nostalgic journey.

Nikhil Patnayak from Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, alongside his choreographer Ashutosh Pawar, will transport viewers back to the 1970s with a tribute to Raj Kapoor. Their rendition of the classic "Jeena Yaha Marna Yaha" from Mera Naam Joker not only evokes nostalgia but also earns heartfelt praise from Anurag Basu. "I'm speechless. You know, when there's an episode like this, where you're paying respect to the legends of every era through your act, you can't make your dance or your art bigger than those you're paying respect to. And that's exactly what you did in this act—you truly paid homage to Raj Kapoor Sahab, to this song, to this film, to this era, and that's so important. It's because of people like him that we are here today, that this show exists. If they weren't there, where would we be? Outstanding!"

Basu also shared intriguing trivia about the film, revealing, "The line 'Jagg ko hasaane behrupiya roop badal phir aayega' wasn't originally written for this film. Before this, Raj Kapoor Sahab was making a film called 'Behrupiya', in which he was playing the character of a joker, but for some reason, that film couldn't be completed. After that, the character of the joker stayed with him, and then he made Mera Naam Joker."

Karisma echoed Basu's sentiments, emphasizing the immense dedication Raj Kapoor poured into the film, which, despite its challenges, became a cult classic thanks to his unwavering passion for cinema.