Wasn’t being rude at all: Sreesanth

After he was criticised for his bizarre attitude while being evicted from the dance reality show, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, former cricketer Sreesanth has explained that he wasn’t arrogant or rude during the elimination round that saw him storming out of the sets after the judges criticised his performance. He was apparently in excruciating pain.

Sreesanth says, “I was performing with a nunchaku (a martial arts weapon) in the elimination round. And, as I swung it around, it hit my back very hard. I was in a lot of pain. The next 45 seconds of the act… you watch it, I really hope the channel doesn’t edit it… it wasn’t Sreesanth. People who have seen me dance, would understand that. But since the show was being shot live, I didn’t know if I should stop the act or carry on. There were these thoughts in my head and it showed.”

It was apparently “this pain” that didn’t let him take the judges’ comments sportingly. “I wanted to get out of the sets quickly, to go to a physio or a gym. But as I stepped out, I messaged Remo saying I was sorry and asked him to extend my regards to Madhuri ma’am and Karan. Even if you watch the show, you would see I was not arrogant or rude. I was disappointed as I could not pull off my act, especially when I was in the face-off.” But Sreesanth is not yet done with Jhalak…, which he had termed as the “second innings” of his life. He says, “I came to Jhalak… with a message of hope. To tell people that no matter what happens in your life, you can be positive about it. You never know, I might come back on Jhalak (given the format of the show).”

He is also planning to urge “the channel to open polling lines again for him” and is confident that the viewers will stand by him. “It wasn’t a bad day. Just those 45 seconds,” he adds.

He is now looking forward to some films and he is working on a Tamil-Telugu bilingual, Anbukkum Azhage, where he debuts as a music composer.