Sep 27, 2026 9:40pm IST
‘India’s Best Dancer’ Season 5 Winner Ritesh Pal And His Mentor Pratik Utekar On Why Consistency Trumps Virality (EXCLUSIVE)
Raipur-based dancer Ritesh Pal beat four other finalists to take home the trophy of “India’s Best Dancer” Season 5. He was voted the winner over Anshika Dhara, Geetanjali Marwaha, Dipali Borkar and Prathamesh Mane. This is his second win after “Dance Plus Pro” in 2024.
Pal reveals to Variety India that dancing was never his prime passion. He loved doing flips/acrobatics and his aim was to qualify for a global championship, one of the biggest stages for the world's most daredevil stuntmen.
Drifting towards dance
He shares, “I wanted to do stunts on an international stage. However, my interest gravitated towards dancing. My brother saw it and encouraged me to learn the art. My mother was against it as we are from a middle-class family. However, Manish Chandani (one of Raipur’s top dance teachers) saw my skills and decided to teach me for free.”
He further states that his initial journey was rather disappointing facing one rejection after another at dance reality show auditions. He adds, “My family had given up. My mother told me to assist my brother at our salon. But I kept on dancing. Finally, at her insistence, I began to work in the salon on Sundays. In fact, I was rejected at the auditions of ‘India’s Best Dancer’ Season 2.”
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Challenge accepted!
The theme of “India's Best Dancer” Season 5 was ‘India Wala Dance,’ which focused more on styles unique to Hindi cinema and Indian culture. Pal shares that his training is mostly in contemporary dance, where he shows off his acrobatic talents to the fullest.
He adds, “I was unsure but this time I had qualified. Having Pratik Utekar as my mentor felt like a dream. Initially, I was worried that he would get irritated as Indian dances are not my forte. The biggest challenge was practising and executing a new choreography set with a complete theme after two or three days of practice.”
Pal has goals of representing India at global dance platforms. He believes that a dancer needs patience and must let go of self-doubt to succeed internationally. “I have seen people leaving this field after a couple of rejections. A career in dance needs patience and will-power. I love Shah Rukh Khan and Ranveer Singh. Given an opportunity, I would love to dance with them,” says Pal.
Reel truths
With captive reality shows mushrooming in India, talent-based reality TV has lost some of its sheen. Also, Instagram has given a platform to even dancers who do not have years of training. Pal does not view this negativity. Instead, he opines, “There are many good dancers who do not get any platform. Reels have helped them get noticed. It is a good thing.”
His mentor Pratik Utekar has a slightly different opinion on the impact of trending/viral dance reels. “Many parents ask for one-day workshops for kids who like to make dance reels. They do not understand that dancing for 20 seconds does not make you a good dancer. Yes, people are consuming short-form content but it is just about quick fame. However, if you take a close look, the biggest creators like Mr. Faisu have invested a lot of time and effort to make videos. Previously, people only had TV shows as a platform to showcase their talent but social media has changed the game. However, longevity demands dedication irrespective of the platform.”
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Keeping at it
K-Pop is a rage with Indian youth and now even global companies are looking at local talent. What does this mean for Indian dancers? Utekar opines, “I feel ‘India Wala Dance’ is an answer to that. The current generation is very quick to adapt to modernization picking up K-Pop choreography and all. However, they have forgotten their roots, which is their strength. Nora Fatehi performed ‘Siir Siir’ at the FIFA World Cup 2026, which was choreographed by Rajit Dev. His career took off from ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’ and he is known for his Indian style of dance. Aditya Patil is also performing internationally. These guys are consistent and determined towards the craft. What we Indians lack is consistency. We need to fix that to enter the global stage.”
He also highlights the concept of veering towards trending dance forms. “Every form is tough and training can be hard. What saddens me is when kids give up dance just because they feel they are not suitable for one form; say hip-hop. It takes time to find that one niche form that suits you. And you need consistency,” he signs off.
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