Tapur Chatterjee

Brishti pore tapur tupur (Pitter-patter falls the rain). The line from Rabindranath Tagore poem inspired Tapur’s grandfather to name his twin granddaughters. This 5’ 8” tall girl is a very popular model. Besides commercials like Titan Raga watches, Lakme and Park Avenue, she also appeared on the covers of magazines like Femina, Elle and Cosmopolitan.

A former Miss India semi-finalist, she did commercial art in college and even won a Nation Award for painting. For now modelling interests her. But the moment boredom sets in Tapur plans to move onto greener pastures. And that does not include Bollywood.

About Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, she says: “I am a Bengali but Mumbai is my jaan," she says. "Dancing is also my jaan. Frankly, I don't know how to dance well, but I would like to give it a try."

Feroz A Khan is her choreographer partner.

Sudha Chandran

Sudha Chandran is a classic case of will power overcoming disability. Though she lost a leg in an accident in 1982, she rose above her tragedy and became an acclaimed Bharatanatyam dancer with the help of a prosthetic Jaipur leg.

She first came on the big screen to enact her own life story in filmmaker Ramoji Rao’s film Mayuri. This was remade in Hindi as Nache Mayuri and soon she began getting offers. But her film career never took off. She was reduced to playing the sister or the bhabhi.

Then she was offered the serial Saahil, where she was noticed again. She went on to anchor Shriman Shrimati, which was directed by Rajan Wagdhare. Wagdhare was so impressed with her wacky sense of humour that he repeated her in another serial, Kabhi Idhar Kabhi Udhar, opposite Shekhar Suman.

There followed a string of serials, but it was her character, Ramola Sikand, in Ekta Kapoor’s Kahin Kissi Roz that made her popular with today’s youth. "Classical dance is different from western dance," Sudha says. "Jhalak is more western. So I have to unlearn a lot of classical dance to adapt to this form."

Umashankar Naik is her choreographer partner.

Sonali Kulkarni

Sonali Kulkarni is among the most talented actresses of Bollywood. She got hooked to theatre after she attended a workshop by Satyadev Dubey. Later she established Samanvay, a theatre group, with her brother Sandesh in Pune.

She got her first break in Girish Karnad’s film Cheluvi. But she truly arrived with Farhan Akhtar's Dil Chahta Hai. A spate of films like Daayra, Doghi, Taxi No. 9211, Agni Varsha, Darna Zaroori Hai, Pyar Tune Kya Kiya and White Rainbow followed.

She also has an international film to her credit. She acted with Omar Sherif in the Italian film Fuoco Di Su Me directed by Lamberto Lambertini.

Toby Fernandes is her choreographer partner.

Sandhya Mridul

A marketing executive-turned-actress, Sandhya Mridul has struggled hard to make it. She first caught people’s attention in the serial Koshish Ek Aasha. She followed it up with roles in serials like Swabhimaan, Banegi Apni Baat, Koshish and Hu Ba Hu.

But though she was popular on the small screen, it took Shaad Ali's Saathiya to catapult Sandhya into Bollywood fame. Since then she has done several films like Waisa Bhi Hota Hai, Kuch Mitha Ho Jaye, Madhur Bhandarker’s Page 3 and Farhan Akhtar’s Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd.

So why did this spirited gal who hosted Extra Innings during the Cricket World Cup 2003 agree to don a pair of dancing shoes? "I cannot do bahu roles all the time," she says. "Main dil se naachoongi aur sab ki band bajaongi."

Javed Sanadi is her choreographer partner.

Ronit Roy

Jack of all trades, but master of one—that describes Ronit Roy best. When he first came to Mumbai, he lived and worked with Subhash Ghai for a year. He also tried his hand at being a management trainee for a short time. But management left him uninspired and he quit his job and joined Ghai full time as an assistant director.

When he realised directing was not for him, Ronit joined Sanjiv Sharma and Mansoor Khan’s company, Pilot Communication, to learn editing, photography and scriptwriting. Meanwhile, he turned model and did a few commercials and tried his hand at being a freelance editor. He also directed 25 episodes of Chitrahaar on Doordarshan.

He hit the silver screen with Jaan Tere Naam, which was a hit in 1992. But success was slow coming to him. Though he acted in over 30 films in 10 years, it was only when he turned to the small screen that he finally found his niche. He is best remembered for two roles—Mihir Virani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu ThiKasauti Zindagi Ki. and Rishab Bajaj in

"I have been doing serials for the last seven years and I am happy to get this opportunity of dancing," says Ronit, who also has a security agency, Ace Security & Protection, which he started during a low phase in his acting career. “I hope I am able to win the hearts of people with my dancing skills."

Nicole Alvares is his choreographer partner.

Prachi Desai

Prachi Desai is a television actress best known for her role as Bani in the television drama Kasamh Se. The role made her the sweetheart and role model of many young girls. She also won several awards—Sansui Television Award for Best Actress, Indian Telly Couple of the Year Award for on screen chemistry with Ram Kapoor, and Indian Telly Fresh New Face of the Year (Female) Award.

"I am happy to get a chance so early in life," Prachi says. "I have the won hearts of housewives as Bani. Now, I have to win the hearts of youngsters with my dancing skills!"

Deepak Singh is her choreographer partner.

Mir Ranjan Negi

The best introduction that can be given to this hockey coach is that he is the man who inspired the super hit Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Chak De India.

Negi’s life has been peppered with pitfalls. He was blamed for the 7-1 defeat at the hands of Pakistan in the 1982 Asian Games. Though he came back as a goalkeeping coach and helped India win the 1998 Asian Games gold at Bangkok, the federation sacked him. Then two years after he led the girls’ team to a gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, he lost his son in a road accident.

When things seemed to have hit rock bottom, something happened to change Negi’s life—a story was born out of his struggle. He had not been interested when the idea was first sounded to him. But after he went to the studio at the request of writer Jaideep Sahni and read the script, he was hooked. Producer Aditya Chopra convinced Negi that he was the man best suited to guide the filmmakers. He trained with the girls for six months and transformed them into the believable players they were in the movie.

Now this 51-year-old has taken on another challenge. "When they asked me to come on this show [Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa], I was surprised. In fact, one of the Chak De girls told me that it would be difficult for me to dance,” says Negi. “But then I said I would try and win the hearts of audience."

Marischa Fernandes is his choreographer partner.

Mini Mathur

An MBA who had a satisfying job in advertising, Mini Mathur was an unlikely candidate for the small screen. A phone call from MTV (inviting her to the finals of an MTV VJ hunt) changed her life. After being a VJ for three years, Mini got the chance to host Tol Mol Ke Bol. She became so popular that she had first dibs jobs as an anchor. Then Indian Idol happened to her. After hosting three seasons of the musical reality show, she is now a household name.

On Jhalak, Mini says, "I will dance dil se. You will watch me dancing with my heart and not with my feet! I thought they called me to host the show. So I was completely surprised when I was asked to dance!"

Himendra Sinha is her choreographer partner.

Mika Singh

Mika Singh aka Amrik Singh began as harmonium player in the Ramlila celebrations of his village. Then he joined elder brother Daler Mehendi as a guitarist. But soon he decided to strike out on his own and in 1998 he cut his debut album Saawan Main Lag Gaye Aag. He gained popularity slowly but steadily and he has several hit albums to his credit like Gabru and Something Something.

Once people claimed that he was more famous for the infamous kiss with Rakhi Sawant than his music, but all that changed after his extremely popular number, Ganpat, in Shootout At Lokhandwala.

Tanushree Rakshit is his choreographer partner.

Jay Bhanushali

This model-turned-actor was first noticed on Disney India’s show Dhoom Machaao Dhoom. He left the show when he was offered the role of Neev Shergill in Ekta Kapoor’s Kayamath. He has also featured in several commercials—the latest being the Lays ad with Saif Ali Khan—and featured in Indian Idol contestant Prajakta Shukre’s music video called Ithun Dhakka.

A huge movie buff, Jay says he likes Bollywood films, replete with drama, suspense and emotion, to Hollywood action thrillers. A big-time gamer, he is also crazy about cricket. What most people don’t know is that he has a spiritual side, too. A devotee of Lord Ganesh, he visits the Siddhivinayak Temple whenever he gets time. In fact, when he landed the lead role in Kayamath, he walked 20 kilometres barefoot (from his house in Ghatkopar) to the temple.

Now he plans to “win everyone's heart” with his dancing abilities.

Bindi Khare is his choreographer partner.

Cyrus Broacha

The Bakra man is famous not only for putting his foot in his mouth, but also for putting it in theatre, veejaying, modelling, compering, hosting, and producing. This former MTV VJ made his debut at 14 in a desi version of Neil Simon's Brighton Memoirs. He came into limelight during St Xavier's Malhar festival. After he graduated, Cyrus went to the Lee Strasberg Acting Studio in New York where he studied acting for theatre. After returning to India, he acted in commercials, television serials and plays. His candid-camera show MTV Bakra catapulted him into every drawing room in India.

Now he hosts the programme The Week That Wasn't on CNN-IBN, besides dabbling in a whole bunch of other stuff, including theatre.

But there is also a serious side to him. For a very long time now, he has fought a personal battle against the killing of stray dogs in Mumbai. He holds awareness campaigns to ask people to adopt the dogs, donate money to help sterilise and vaccinate them, and to protect the dogs against municipality’s favoured way of killing them—painful electrocution.

Rozita Rajput is his choreographer partner.

Aadesh Srivastava

Though Aadesh Srivastava used to compose music as a hobby, he was very undecided what he wanted to do with his life. In 1994 Sudhakar Bokadia signed him on for the film Kanyadaan, with Rishi Kapoor and Divya Bharati, but the film never saw the light of day.

Then Aadesh thought he would follow his head and become a doctor. But his heart got in the way and he decided to follow his passion instead. He moved to Mumbai, learnt to play the drums, and proceeded to gain a foothold in the industry by playing drums for stalwarts like O P Nayyar, Shankar-Jaikishen and Salil Choudhary. He assisted Laxmikant-Pyarelal for almost a decade before striking out on his own.

His first release was Aao Pyar Karen and one of its songs, Madhubala, became a hit. He had several near hits and misses before he established himself. In 1998, he was awarded the Filmfare award for best background score for Border.

He recently performed on the opening day of the Berlin Asia Pacific Film Festival. The festival will also screen Sanaa, a 13-minute film on child prostitution, which marks Aadesh’s debut as a director. Aadesh was also one of the judges on the musical reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2005 and is currently part of the jury on STAR Voice of India.

"I will dance with taal, but I will not be betaal,” says Aadesh. "I will also dance with lots of josh. It is an honour for me to be here [Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa]. My son told me that I could do it, so here I am."

Tina Sachdev is his choreographer partner.