Karisma Kapoor has been winning hearts once again as a judge on India’s Best Dancer Season 5. Every week, the Bollywood star has been sharing interesting stories from her long career, giving fans a rare look at what happened behind the scenes of some of the biggest songs of the 1990s. From quick shooting schedules to demanding rehearsals, her memories show how much effort went into creating the dance numbers that audiences still love today.
One of the most surprising stories Karisma shared was about the popular song Jhanjhariya. She revealed that she had to wear 20 different costumes for the female version of the song. Looking back, she said those days were very different because there was no detailed planning for fashion like there is now. Many costume ideas were created on the spot, and the team relied on creativity and instinct to make every look memorable. The result was one of the most stylish songs of its time.
Karisma also spoke about the famous song What Is Mobile Number from Haseena Maan Jaayegi. Even though the movie was based in Goa, the entire song was actually filmed in just one day at a resort in Madh Island, Mumbai. She laughed while recalling how she had pointed out a background detail to director David Dhawan that she thought would reveal the real location. However, the audience never noticed it, and the song went on to become a huge hit.
Another fun memory was about choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant, who was then working as an assistant to Chinni Prakash and Rekha Prakash. Karisma said that even at a young age, Vaibhavi was extremely hardworking and focused. While shooting films like Police Officer and Krishna, she would make sure every step and every expression was perfect. Karisma joked that Vaibhavi would not even let her sit down and rest for two minutes because she wanted every performance to be flawless.
Karisma also revealed that Dil To Pagal Hai required the longest rehearsals of her entire career. She explained that in the 1990s, actors usually did not get much time to practise before filming songs. However, this film was different because it was Shiamak Davar’s first Bollywood project, and the dance sequences were much more detailed. Since she was performing alongside Madhuri Dixit, Karisma spent many extra hours rehearsing so that memorable performances like Dance of Envy looked perfect on screen.
These stories have become one of the biggest highlights of India’s Best Dancer Season 5. They give fans a chance to see the hard work, dedication and teamwork behind some of Bollywood’s most iconic songs while celebrating the golden era of Hindi cinema.