London, A Scottish Indian doctor and author who is competing in one of the UK’s most popular television dance competitions has made history by performing the first-ever Bollywood number in the show’s 20-year history.
Dr Punam Krishan, who describes herself as a proud Glajabi – Glasgow-born Punjabi, danced to ‘Bole Chudiyan’ from the 2001 box-office hit ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’ as the first Indian film sequence on BBC’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ aired on Saturday evening.
The general practitioner in her 40s was tearful as she reflected on her parents’ journey with nothing from Punjab to make a life in Scotland.
“It meant everything. I feel like I just went to four-year-old me that would have loved to see something like this when I was growing up, and I guess you just can’t be what you can’t see,” a tearful Krishan told the host after her high-scoring performance.
“We didn’t grow up with much, we didn’t have a lot, but we got there,” she said, dedicating the dance to her grandfather who died during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In clips from the rehearsals ahead of the performance, the medic said she opted for a Bollywood dance for the show’s ‘Couple’s Choice’ category to showcase her Indian culture on mainstream television.
She said: “I am such a proud Scottish Indian girl. In this Couple’s Choice, I really just want to bring my culture and my heritage to the forefront.
“I never saw Indian girls dancing on mainstream television, so to be doing now an Indian dance on a platform like ‘Strictly’ is huge.”
Krishan is a “resident GP” on ‘BBC Morning Live’ and ‘BBC Radio Scotland’ while employed with the National Health Service . She is a TV regular on health news as a broadcaster and has also written her own children’s book, with additional books in the pipeline.
“This still doesn’t feel real, I am overjoyed to be a contestant on this year’s show. I have watched ‘Strictly’ every year with my family, and it feels extra special that it’s the 20th year, I can’t believe I will be the one getting Strictly-fied now. This is so out of my comfort zone, but I’m up for the journey and will give it my absolute all,” said Krishan on being confirmed in this year’s line-up for the popular dance show.
The series sees celebrities pair up with professional dancers to perform a range of dance styles with increasing complexities each week to be voted on by the judges and then eliminated one by one on the basis of public votes. The winner of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ is unveiled closer to Christmas, when the winning couple lifts the coveted Glitterball Trophy.
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