Social media influencer and wildcard entrant, Manisha Rani, was crowned the winner of Season 11 of the celebrity dance reality show, ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’.
Apart from taking back home the winner’s trophy, Manisha got a cheque of Rs 30 lakh, while her choreographer, Ashutosh Pawar, received Rs 10 lakh. The duo also won a trip to Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
The finale saw the presence of the cast of ‘Murder Mubarak’ — Sara Ali Khan, Vijay Verma and Sanjay Kapoor, who joined the contestants on stage for a dance.
The five finalists were Manisha Rani, Shoaib Ibrahim, Dhanashree Verma, Adrija Sinha and Sreerama Chandra, but only Manisha, Shoaib and Adrija made it to the top three.
Manisha’s finale performances were on the tracks ‘Thumkeshwari’, ‘Do You Love Me’, ‘Param Sundari’ and ‘Saami Saami’.
Shoaib delivered an electrifying performance on ‘Zinda Banda’ from the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer ‘Jawan’, followed by ‘Badshah O Badshah’, which was picturised on SRK and Twinkle Khanna in the 1999 Abbas-Mustan film ‘Badshah’.
Adrija also won hearts, though not enough of them to be declared number one, with her dance acts choreographed to the music of ‘Chammak Challo’, ‘Nadiyo Paar’ and ‘Move Your Body’.
Manisha, who comes from Munger, Bihar, described her journey as nothing short of a dream coming true.
“I owe it all to the love, support and encouragement of the judges and the audience,” she said.
“I knew this experience would change my life and it truly has. As a wildcard entry, I had to work twice as hard to prove myself and my every moment has been filled with excitement and my growth as a dancer.”
Manisha, who rose to prominence with her dance reels on TikTok followed by Instagram during the Covid lockdowns, had earlier snagged the second runner-up prize on ‘Bigg Boss OTT 2’.
Expressing gratitude for her choreographer Ashutosh, Manisha said: “He has been very understanding and each week, he has pushed me to broaden my horizon and discover new facets of my dancing abilities. This win is not just mine; it belongs to everyone who believed in me and supported me.”
Choreographer-filmmaker Farah Khan, one of the show’s three judges, said: “Manisha has truly set the stage on fire with her natural aptitude for dance. She has consistently pushed herself beyond her limits, showcasing a wide range of dance styles with elegance and precision.”
Fellow judge Arshad Warsi added: “Manisha has swiftly carved a niche in everyone’s heart with her outstanding talent and mesmerising performances. Each week, she wowed us with her incredible versatility and her dedication and hard work were evident in each performance, as she tackled various dance styles with grace and skill.”
Malaika Arora, the third judge, concluded by saying: “Her performances throughout the show were simply outstanding. She is truly my ‘Versatile Rani’, delivering performances week after week that left us all in awe.”
Beyond her dancing prowess, Manisha charmed everyone with her dynamic personality and sweet demeanour.
She mesmerised actor Shahid Kapoor with her moves, leaving him wondering if he should take dancing tips from her. She also took the opportunity to give the ever-so-graceful Juhi Chawla a few tips on posing for the paparazzi, and she also left Nora Fatehi in awe of her belly dancing skills.
The finale also saw the team of ‘Madness Machayenge India Ko Hasayenge’ — Huma Qureshi, host Harsh Gujral and comedian Inder Sahani.
