Shakti Mohan has opened up about her much-loved on-screen pairing with Raghav Juyal on the reality show Dance Plus, revealing that while audiences adored their chemistry, their bond off-screen was rooted in friendship and mutual respect.Speaking to Siddharth Kannan, Shakti said, “I felt very connected with him. It felt like our guy is winning. I think he is next level—not just because of his achievements, but as a person. He is one of a kind.”
‘He would talk about things I had never heard before’
She went on to praise Raghav’s unique perspective, especially when it came to conversations around society and gender.“Jo ek alag hi soch hai… I had never heard such things before in my life,” she said, adding that he would often question societal norms. “He would point out how men can be carefree, but a woman sitting there alone cannot do the same. He wasn’t saying it from a wrong point of view—it’s our society and our thinking.”
‘It was a weird transition from friendship to romance’
Shakti admitted that the romantic angle between them was largely created for the show, and it felt unusual at the time.“Before the show, we were very normal friends—we would fight like brother and sister. Then suddenly, they started creating a romantic angle. It was scripted that he would tease me. It was a very weird transition for us,” she said.She also recalled how people would joke about her becoming “Mrs Juyal,” to which Raghav had a typically witty response. “He would say, ‘Why can’t I become Mr Mohan?’ I thought—this thought can only come from Raghav. I love the way he thinks.”
‘I wasn’t comfortable with that kiss moment’
The dancer also spoke about a particular on-stage moment that left her uncomfortable.“There was even a kiss moment created. Honestly, I didn’t know about it. I was told something like—if this happens, Raghav will kiss you. I was like, why? Why is this happening?” she said.She added that even Remo D’Souza encouraged it on stage. “I’m a very obedient person and at that time I didn’t stand my ground. My parents were watching. But I still did it—and you can see how uncomfortable I was.”
‘We never saw it as anything personal’
Despite the narrative built around them, Shakti maintained that their bond remained unchanged.“I knew his girlfriend, he knew everything about my life. It was a very clean bond. We never saw it like that. It was just for entertainment,” she said.
‘My father was upset’
Shakti also revealed that her family, especially her father, was not happy with the way the relationship was portrayed.“My father was upset. He even came to the show and questioned the makers—why are you showing this? I told him there’s nothing like that, I can even tie him a rakhi,” she shared.Even today, she said, people continue to believe there was something more. “Relatives still ask my mother, ‘When are they getting married?’ We never thought it would go this far.”
‘It was just for entertainment’
Looking back, Shakti said she doesn’t hold any resentment. “I don’t think it was wrong. Makers will do whatever to make it entertaining. It doesn’t have to be taken personally. Neither he nor I saw it that way. It was just for entertainment.”
