Radio jockey Mantra is not sure why he got voted out of "Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 6". But he thinks that since he didn't enter the celebrity dance show as a comedian, his chances of continuing with it probably got reduced.
Mantra, known for good comic timing and mimicry skills, had recently joined the reality show as a wild card entry with other celebrities like TV actor Karan Patel, actress Sana Saeed and reality show participant Mukti Mohan. But he got eliminated Saturday.
"I didn't enter the show as a comedian. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I am not carrying on," the 31-year-old told IANS.
He is not the first comedian to be voted out immediately after joining the show. Suresh Menon, who tried to infuse comedy into his act, was the first participant to be evicted from the sixth season of the show.
Did the presence of professional dancers like Mukti, Lauren Gottlieb and the Sonali-Sumant duo make it difficult for him to hang on?
"I don't think so. It's a reality show so there are no rules. Official content happens on stadium. So you can't complain," he said.
His stay was a brief one, but he is happy.
"It was a short, but sweet journey. I was there for dancing, which I did, so I am happy," said Mantra, who will miss his choreographer the most.
He gives credit to his choreographer Ankita Maity for bringing out his strong points on the dance floor.
"My Kishore Kumar act was appreciated by the audience and fans. I was happy being with her. In fact, I will miss her a lot. She knew my strong and weak points and used them to my advantage. We used to spend at least eight hours a day practising," said Mantra.
Maity is not the only one he has bonded with on the show. He got close to Karan.
Now that his dancing days on TV are over, he is back to the acting world.
"I am in talks with TV shows, but right now I am concentrating on my upcoming film 'Dil Patang'," said the actor, who was also seen in movies like "Tum Mile", "London, Paris, New York" and "Game".
Mantra doesn't restrict himself to one genre or medium, so don't be surprised if you see him as part of a drama show.
"I think the whole world is a stage and we are constantly performing. I have done theatre, movies and TV as I don't believe in limiting myself. I would've said no to daily soaps, but then you never know I might just do it. I don't trust myself," he said.
