‘Looking for mothers who surprise me’

Remo D`Souza

For the longest time, dance was not considered a viable career option, until Remo D'Souza changed the game, paving the way not only for himself but all those who followed. Despite a considerable body of work, it was Dance India Dance that put him on the map, and the rest is history. After 11 years, the choreographer-director has returned to the show with the latest season of Dance India Dance Li'l Masters along with Sonali Bendre and Mouni Roy. Even before the show reaches the finale, D'Souza has signed up to judge the third instalment of DID Supermoms.

"Seeing the response to Li'l Masters, we thought it was the right time to set in motion a season for Supermoms," he says.

With auditions kickstarting soon, D'Souza is clear about the kind of contestants he hopes to discover for the show. "I am looking for the title phrase in each contestant. While I know every mom is a supermom, I am looking for mothers who can surprise you," says the filmmaker. While it is customary to rope in a technically sound professional to judge the show, most channels tend to rope in stars who will grab eyeballs. D'Souza believes that the panel should comprise experienced people who bring expertise to the table. He says, "In any of the shows I have done, we've never roped in anyone for the sake of face [value]. The key is to have a balanced panel. For example, Mouni is a fantastic dancer, and Sonali is well-versed with expressions and performance."

When asked if his manager-wife Lizelle has ever considered enrolling in supermoms, D'Souza chuckles, "Truth be told, I am scared of losing my supermom [laughs]. She used to dance, but stopped it because she got busy with work and the kids. [Now], coming back after so many years is difficult. She stopped thinking about it as she lost interest and I stopped asking her." The ABCD director will soon begin work on his next. "Two scripts are ready and will go on the floors this year."