The second season of the dance based reality show Jhalak Dikhla Ja has Urmila Matondkar as one of its judges along with Jeetendra, and Shiamak Davar.

The celebrity contestants include Meerchand Negi, Ex-captain of the Indian Hockey team and the ex-coach of the world cup winning Women’s Hockey team, model Tupur Chatterji, actors Sandhya Mridul, Sonali Kulkarni, Prachi Desai, and Sudha Chandran, anchor Mini Mathur, music director Aadesh Srivastav, actor Ronit Roy, Cyrus Brocha, Jay Bhnaushali, and singer Mika Singh.

Urmila had the following to say about her new job in a pre-launch press conference:

What made you take this decision to be a judge in a reality show?
Sony’s Jhalak Dikhla Ja is an international dance-based reality show format and it is a very interesting idea.
I knew it would come as a surprise to many that I am judging the show. But I like springing surprises. My entire career has been like that. I do the unexpected all the time. It could be  the kind of role I did in Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara, or in Naina, or a dancer’s role in Rangeela.

After having succeeded in films, I also did theatre and sang songs. I love challenges and to act as a judge of a reality show like Jhalak Dikbla Ja is a big challenge. I cannot stagnate as a person and an artiste. That will kill me. So, here I am, exploring a new territory.

Why is it a challenging assignment?
Sitting in a judge’s chair is a tough thing. You are evaluating someone’s work. You want to be fair and you can do that only if you have a good understanding of various facets of that subject.

You cannot go wrong, as you are accountable to the audience that has huge expectations from you.

You also have to defend your image since you are face to face with your fans and you do not have the luxury of following a script as is done in films.

What else do you find path breaking in this new avatar of a reality show judge?
I will be judging the performances of well-known celebrities from different professions.

They will expect me to be a competent judge. I cannot afford to go wrong here. I must have knowledge about different forms of popular dancing.

Do you think you have that?
I am not a nritya visharad, but I know quite a bit about popular forms of dancing. I have acquitted myself well in my films in my song and dance numbers. I have a good idea of these things.

You have generally danced in films and hit item numbers.

Jhalak Dikhla Ja is all about that. And you must not forget that I have danced differently even in films.

If I have done the discotheque number in Bas Ek Pal, I have done something quiet different in Deewanagi.

I have done dance numbers that have been inspired by classical dance traditions, as well as Rangeela dance numbers with heavily western influences.

Both have different kinds of steps and presentation styles. Our film dancing is a blend of a whole variety of dancing experiences.

Have you taken any formal training in dancing?
No. I have not. My choreographers were of great help. Sometimes I have also danced without rehearsals and improvised right on the sets. It is a question of how passionate you are about your work.

Do you think dancing in films does not require any formal dance training?
Training is always good. I may not have gone through this process myself. Maybe I am a natural dancer and can grasp the technique of film dancing without any formal training.

None of the popular dance numbers have very complicated steps. That is why they are popular and even kids can pick them up. I enjoy dancing. I have happy feet.

Which was your most difficult song and dance number?
None. As I said, our song and dance numbers are not very difficult to perform if you have passion and find it an enjoyable experience. I don’t do rehearsals. I can do a dance number impromptu. I have also done stage shows without elaborate preparation.

Which are your favourite songs?
There are so many of them. Which is your favourite? (Laughs).