Jaaved Jaaferi Recalls Ahmed Khan’s Big Break at 19; Remo D’Souza Reveals How Rangeela Changed His Life

June 2026, Mumbai: Next episode of India’s Best Dancer Season 5 brings alive the spirit of India Wala Dance which will witness a nostalgic conversation around the iconic film Rangeela and the man behind its memorable choreography, Ahmed Khan.

Following a performance inspired by the film, the judges and guests reflected on Ahmed Khan’s journey and the impact he has had on the dance fraternity over the years.Recalling Ahmed Khan’s early days in the industry, Jaaved Jaaferi spoke about the immense trust filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma placed in him while making Rangeela. Sharing his thoughts, Jaaved said, “Ram Gopal Varma sahaab jo hai na, Aamir Khan star the aur Aamir ke saath itni badi film banayi. Nayi ladki ko liya, ye pehli film thi as a choreographer. Pure film mein unnis (19) saal ke the Ahmed. Uss waqt unnis saal ke bacche ko bola tha, tu choreography karega. Uss waqt big risk and call to take.”

Adding to the conversation, guest Remo D’Souza revealed how Rangeela became a turning point in his own life and career. Speaking about Ahmed Khan’s influence on his journey, Remo said, “ Jitni bhi technical cheeze maine aaj tak sikhi hai, woh unse hi sikhi hai maine. Aur meri life shuru hui hai waha se. Rangeela gaane se hi meri life shuru hui. Ye song mein main background dancer tha. Ye pehla gaana tha jo Ahmed sir ne bola, unhe bahar ke dancers chahiye jo background dancers nahi lagne chahiye. If you see this song, you’ll see a fresh pair of dancers behind.”

Remo further shared how he was initially rejected during auditions before Ahmed Khan gave him another opportunity that would eventually change the course of his career. He recalled, “Main ye song mein select nahi hua tha pehli baar kyuki auditions ho rahe the. Bahot saare logon ko leke aaye the. Main piche khada tha. Meri nazar Ahmed ji ya kisi aur ki nazar gayi nahi thi mere pe. Toh mere aage jo chaar the unko select kar liya tha. Aur uske baad request kiya maine jaake Ahmed ji ko. Unhone wapas chance diya, mujhe le liya.”

Looking back at that life-changing moment, Remo added, “Baad mein maine Raju ji ki films dekhi na, phir mujhe pata chala inko na alag chehre pasand hain. Shayad iss wajah se mujhe bahot baar frame mein leke aaye, close-up bhi diya mujhe. Woh time mein close-up mein aana matlab bahot badi cheez hai. Main toh Jamnagar se aaya tha. Toh waha pe sab pagal ho gaye the ki ye banda screen mein close-up aa gaya tha. Ek gaana dekha aur dusra gaana dekha. Teesre gaane mein main unka assistant tha.”

What followed was a heartfelt reflection on how a single opportunity can transform a career, with both Jaaved and Remo acknowledging Ahmed Khan’s journey from a young choreographer to one of the industry’s most respected names.

Don’t miss India’s Best Dancer Season 5 every Saturday and Sunday at 9:30 PM on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV.