MUMBAI: Now that's top of the pops.

Sony Entertainment Television will be presenting a star-studded National finals of its popular talent hunt Boogie Woogie, on 14 January and 21 January 2004.

After a successful tenure of over seven years, the show is all set to re-launched as a nationwide talent hunt. The team had launched a hunt and auditions were held in many cities.

Produced, directed and anchored by Ravi Behl and Naved Jaferi, the show will be telecast as one-hour special episodes with special performances by Malaika Arora Khan, Koena Mitra, VJ Sophia Chaudhary, Shakti Kapoor, choreographer Ganesh Acharya and Mona 'Jassi' Singh. Incidentally, Acharya was in the jury.

While speaking to indiantelevision.com Behl offered, "We were constantly getting feedback from viewers, all across the country that we need to give them an easier access to participate in the show. People from the interior parts of the country found it difficult to travel all the way to Mumbai, so we, along with Sony officials worked out the national hunt."

During the first step, the team arranged for auditions in the east zone cities - Kolkata and Jamshedpur followed by North zone - Delhi and Chandigarh. Lastly in the west zone in Mumbai and Goa. The auditions was held under three categories: duo- man and woman freestyle, children under 14 and group dance. The team has canned 11 episodes in each zone; 33 episodes in total. The zonal selection episodes have already been aired.

And why wasn't the south and the central zone included? Behl offers, "We decide to organise the hunt based on the letters, e-mails and phone calls we received. What we found was that there weren't as many responses from these zones. In case people want us to, we will be happy to travel there as well."

Although Behl wasn't keen on disclosing the identity of the winners, he did offer that besides winning the coveted trophy, the winners will also be rewarded the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to feature in a Sony music video and a one-month free training at Kishore Namit Kapoor's Acting Academy.

Behl: "Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahi"
When asked about the highlight of the show, Behl said that it would be Mona Singh's performance. Apparently the dame, although dressed in her usual attire, gave a great performance.