Daijiworld Media Network - Raipur

Raipur, Sep 28: Raipur's 19-year-old dancer Ritesh Pal has won India’s Best Dancer Season 5, lifting the trophy with choreographer Pratik Utekar after emerging victorious in the Grand Finale.

Ritesh defeated fellow finalists Anshika Dhara, Geetanjali Marwaha, Prathamesh Mane and Dipali Borkar to claim the title and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh.

Ritesh emerged as one of the strongest contenders throughout the season, winning the Battle Trophy three times and displaying his versatility across various dance forms. His journey on the reality show unfolded under the theme ‘India Wala Dance’, which challenged him and Pratik to move beyond their contemporary dance background and explore different styles.

Speaking after his victory, Ritesh said dance had always been his passion and winning the show was a dream come true. He expressed gratitude to judges Karisma Kapoor, Jaaved Jaaferi, Geeta Kapur and Terence Lewis for their guidance, while giving special credit to his choreographer Pratik Utekar for believing in him and shaping his journey.

Pratik Utekar described the victory with his shishya (student) Ritesh as a proud and emotional moment. He said Ritesh had consistently trusted his vision and embraced his guidance throughout the competition.

The choreographer said the ‘India Wala Dance’ theme had challenged both of them to step outside their contemporary dance background and explore new dance forms. He added that overcoming the challenges together made the victory particularly special.

The Grand Finale featured judges Karisma Kapoor, Jaaved Jaaferi, Geeta Kapur and Terence Lewis. Actors Jackie Shroff, Tamannaah Bhatia and Sidharth Malhotra also joined the celebrations as special guests.

Ritesh's victory marks his second major reality-show triumph. He had earlier won Dance Plus Pro as a member of Shakti Mohan's team.