Nishil Sharma, a 21-year-old professional freestyle dancer, came to Mumbai from Indore this April to follow his dream of becoming the country’s next big dancing star. Though the auditions of the reality show he hopes to participate in -- Dance India Dance -- will be held in end-September, Sharma flew down six months earlier to enroll at Dance Pe Lo Chance, a three-month training programme at the Terence Lewis Academy. The programme, which costs Rs 75,000 is geared specifically for reality show aspirants.u00a0The battle lines are truly drawn well before even the auditions for such shows begin -- leave alone the actual competition, where talent, screen presence, the ability to impress judges all go hand in hand in creating new stars.u00a0With big money and lucrative deals -- not to mention fame -- in the offing, participants are leaving no stone unturned in their quest for reality show glory.

Illustration/ Amit Bandre