Karisma Kapoor Reflects on Cinema Mentors on Guru Purnima

Mumbai, July 29 — Actress Karisma Kapoor marked Guru Purnima by reflecting on the lasting influence of family and industry mentors, stating that growing up in a cinema-centred household taught her that a true guru shapes more than technical skill.

As a judge on India’s Best Dancer Season 5, Kapoor linked her own formative experiences to the passion she observes among the contestants. “Growing up in a family deeply rooted in cinema, and working with legendary masters on set, I learned early on that a true Guru doesn’t just teach you steps, they teach you how to own the stage with your soul,” she said. “Watching the raw passion of the contestants on India’s Best Dancer Season 5 reminds me of that exact guidance. This Guru Purnima, my heart is full of gratitude for the teachers who taught me to dance with my heart before my feet, and I hope we can pass that same light down to our incredible talent this season.”

Fellow judge Jaaved Jaaferi also used the occasion to acknowledge the role of mentors in his long career. “For me, dance has always been about freedom, rhythm, and finding your own voice. Over the decades, from the early days of street-style to standing on the magnificent stage of India’s Best Dancer Season 5, I’ve realized that a real Guru sheds away your inhibitions and unleashes your truest self,” he said. “On this auspicious day of Guru Purnima, I bow down to the masters who kept me grounded in rhythm, and I salute every choreographer on our show who is selflessly shaping the future of ‘India Wala Dance’.”

Judge Geeta Kapur, known on the show as “Geeta Maa,” credited her own mentor, Farah Khan, for shaping her approach to guiding young performers. “They call me ‘Maa’ on the show, but everything I know about mentorship comes from the giants on whose shoulders I stand, especially my mentor, Farah Khan, who taught me how to nurture talent with tough love and an open heart,” she said. “India’s Best Dancer Season 5 is not just a competition; it is a sacred Gurukul where dreams are shaped with sweat, tears, and unconditional belief. This Guru Purnima, I pray that we continue to guide our contestants with the same warmth, strict discipline, and blessings that our gurus showered upon us.”

Actor Rajeev Khandelwal, host of Tum Ho Naa – Ghar Ki Superstar, focused on the guidance he received at home. “Guru Purnima is a beautiful, humbling reminder that learning never stops, and that our truest guides are often the ones closest to us. My parents have been my very first gurus,” he said. “I’ve realized that our greatest gurus often come in the most unassuming forms, guiding us through the simplest, purest truths. On this Guru Purnima, I am profoundly grateful to my parents, to the everyday superstars who inspire me, and to every individual who has helped shape the person I am today.”

The statements from the India’s Best Dancer panel and Khandelwal frame Guru Purnima as an opportunity to recognise both formal and informal mentors. Kapoor’s emphasis on learning to “own the stage with your soul,” Jaaferi’s focus on freedom of expression, Kapur’s reference to disciplined nurturing, and Khandelwal’s tribute to parental guidance together present a consistent theme: artistic development depends as much on values and emotional grounding as on technical instruction.