Bollywood actor Karisma Kapoor and celebrated choreographer Geeta Kapur revisited their earliest association on the sets of director Yash Chopra's 1997 romantic musical 'Dil To Pagal Hai', sharing candid memories during an episode of Sony Entertainment Television's 'India's Best Dancer Season 5'. The episode, themed 'India Wala Dance', offered a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of the iconic song 'Pyaar Kar'.

Geeta Kapur's First Memory of Karisma

Geeta recalled encountering Karisma for the first time in 1996, when she was still finding her footing as an assistant choreographer on the production. In her own words — a mix of Hindi and English — she described the moment: '1996 mein aap jab ye film ke liye shooting kar rahi thi, Dil To Pagal Hai, tab meri nayi nayi shuruaat hui thi as an assistant choreographer aur aap gaana kar rahi thi 'Pyaar Kar' ka sequence tha and that was the first time I saw you. Main pehli baar aapse roobaroo hui thi and I thought you were gorgeous, you still are. Aap tab tak already established badi star thi, but you treated me with a lot of love and lot of respect. Aapki pehli mujhe woh pehli jhalak yaad hain. You were wearing a light blue gown, I remember that.'

The moment, she said, stayed with her precisely because Karisma — already a major star by then — extended warmth and respect to a junior just beginning her career.

Karisma on Geeta's Demanding Choreography

Karisma, in turn, recalled the pair's collaboration during stage shows, where Geeta's exacting standards became quickly apparent. She recounted being handed a choreography sequence that felt far more demanding than what fellow performers were given — a moment she described with characteristic humour.

In her own words: 'Main bhi ek cheez kehna chahungi, though me and Geeta didn't get a chance to do a film, humne film nahi ki, lekin humne kaafi shows kiye the and Geeta was there full on. So she showed me the dance, I was like, 'Arey arey arey, ye kya ho raha hain?' Sorry, par baaki ke artists easy easy, simple steps kar rahe hain aur aisa kuch kar rahe hain, aur mujhe kuch I don't know kya Michael Jackson ka step diya gaya tha. I said, Geeta, what is this? This is not fair. Everybody else you're giving easy steps but Geeta told me you can do it.'

Notably, despite the demanding routine, Karisma credited Geeta's confidence in her as a motivating force rather than a burden.

About Dil To Pagal Hai

'Dil To Pagal Hai', directed by Yash Chopra and released in 1997, remains one of Hindi cinema's most celebrated musical romances. The film starred Shah Rukh Khan as Rahul, Madhuri Dixit as Pooja, Karisma Kapoor as Nisha, and Akshay Kumar as Ajay. Its story centres on a dance troupe director whose belief in a destined love is tested when an accomplished new dancer enters his world.

The film's soundtrack was composed by Uttam Singh with lyrics by Anand Bakshi, and featured tracks including 'Dil To Pagal Hai', 'Arre Re Arre', 'Bholi Si Surat', 'Dholna', 'Le Gayi', 'Pyaar Kar', 'Koi Ladki Hai', and 'Ek Duje Ke Vaaste'. The song 'Pyaar Kar' was sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Udit Narayan, and is widely regarded as one of the film's most memorable romantic numbers.

India's Best Dancer Season 5 Connection

The reunion moment aired as part of 'India's Best Dancer Season 5' on Sony Entertainment Television, with the episode dedicated to celebrating India's diverse dance heritage. The appearance of both Karisma and Geeta on the same platform — nearly three decades after their first meeting — gave the episode a nostalgic resonance that is likely to draw significant viewer interest.