India’s Best Dancer Season 3 arrived in 2023 carrying the accumulated prestige of two successful seasons and a third subtitle — Har Move Se Karenge Prove — that signalled the show’s continued commitment to demanding the most from its contestants at every competitive stage. Season 3 introduced the franchise’s most significant judging panel change since its debut — replacing Malaika Arora with celebrated Bollywood actress Sonali Bendre alongside returning anchor judges Geeta Kapoor and Terence Lewis, bringing a different celebrity perspective and a different kind of presence to the Season 3 judging table.
The season also brought Jay Bhanushali to the hosting chair — himself a familiar face from dance reality television as a former DID contestant and host — creating a host-judges dynamic where multiple panel members shared deep personal histories with the dance competition format they were now guiding from positions of authority.
Overview Table — India’s Best Dancer Season 3
| Detail | Information |
| Season | Season 3 |
| Subtitle | Har Move Se Karenge Prove |
| Year | 2023 |
| Channel | Sony Entertainment Television |
| Host | Jay Bhanushali |
| Judges | Sonali Bendre, Geeta Kapoor, Terence Lewis |
| Winner | Samarpan Lama |
| Runner-Up | Anjali Mamgai |
| 2nd Runner-Up | Shivanshu Soni |
| Premiere Date | 8 April 2023 |
| Grand Finale | 30 September 2023 |
| Prize Money | ₹15 Lakhs |
About India’s Best Dancer Season 3
India’s Best Dancer Season 3 premiered on Sony Entertainment Television on 8 April 2023 — returning after a gap since Season 2’s January 2022 conclusion and greeted with significant audience anticipation. Ground auditions for Season 3 had begun as early as 19 January 2023 — reflecting the production scale required to identify top talent through nationwide auditions across India’s diverse regions before the competitive season could begin.
The season ran for 27 episodes through to its grand finale on 30 September 2023 — an ambitious episode count that gave contestants extended time to develop their artistry, audiences extended time to bond with their favourites, and the production team extended opportunity to create themed performances, special episodes, and narrative arcs that added entertainment dimensions beyond pure competitive evaluation.
Season 3 featured notable special appearances including Tiger Shroff and Kriti Sanon promoting their film Ganapath at the finale, along with Govinda’s iconic appearance where he recreated his famous dance moves alongside judge Sonali Bendre — creating a nostalgic moment that delighted audiences with entertainment value entirely independent of the competitive proceedings.
The season continued to stream on SonyLIV alongside the television broadcast — building the show’s digital audience that would expand further in Season 4 when JioCinema simulcast began.
Host — Jay Bhanushali
Jay Bhanushali took over hosting duties for Season 3 — bringing a genuinely unique credential to the India’s Best Dancer hosting chair in the form of his own history as a dance reality show participant and winner. A former Dance India Dance contestant whose dancing background gives him authentic understanding of the competitive pressure, performance demands, and personal vulnerability that contestants experience on stage, Jay’s hosting brought empathy dimensions that pure entertainment hosts cannot replicate.
His warmth with contestants — reflecting genuine understanding rather than performed sympathy — created a hosting atmosphere where dancers felt their competitive journey was witnessed by someone who truly comprehended what they were going through. His natural screen presence, genuine dance appreciation, and strong chemistry with the judge panel made him one of Season 3’s most valued assets. He would continue as host in Season 4.
Judges
Sonali Bendre — Bollywood actress and celebrated public personality who replaced Malaika Arora on the Season 3 judging panel. Sonali’s perspective on dance is shaped by decades in Bollywood cinema — her appreciation of performance as communication, emotional storytelling through movement, and the audience connection that great dance performance creates. Her cancer survivorship and public transparency about that journey gave her a personal credibility and depth of perspective that resonated profoundly with contestants and audiences. Her feedback consistently focused on the human story within each dance performance.
Geeta Kapoor — Returned for her third consecutive season as the judging panel’s technical anchor. By Season 3, Geeta’s familiarity with the show’s format, contestant evaluation standards, and the level of excellence required for championship performance made her the most contextually informed judge in the panel.
Terence Lewis — Returned for Season 3 as the judging panel’s most technically trained contemporary dance voice. His assessments retained the precision and international dance education perspective that contestants consistently found the most technically illuminating feedback available from any judge.
Winner — Samarpan Lama
Samarpan Lama was the champion of India’s Best Dancer Season 3 — claiming the trophy, ₹15 lakhs prize, and ₹5 lakhs for his choreographer after a season in which his contemporary dance performances — emotionally resonant, technically precise, and narratively compelling — had established him as the most complete artistic performer in the competition. His victory in the grand finale, named Finale No. 1, was celebrated as a triumph for contemporary dance as an expressive form.
Samarpan is from Pune — the same city that produced Season 2’s winner Saumya Kamble, giving the city a consecutive championship connection in the India’s Best Dancer franchise. His dance style combines the physical demands of contemporary movement with exceptional emotional expressiveness — each performance telling a story through movement that transcended pure technical execution.
Samarpan’s journey through Season 3 was marked by consistent growth — early-season performances that impressed with technical capability progressively evolved into finale performances of genuine artistic maturity that moved both judges and audiences. Judge Sonali Bendre, whose own journey with cancer had taught her profound appreciation for human resilience and authentic emotion, consistently identified Samarpan’s performances as the season’s most emotionally authentic.
Runner-Up — Anjali Mamgai
Anjali Mamgai, the first runner-up of India’s Best Dancer Season 3, was one of the season’s most charismatic and technically versatile performers — a Delhi-based dancer with experience from Dance Deewane 3 whose strong social media following reflected genuine fan recognition developed through years of visible dance work before India’s Best Dancer Season 3.
A notable finale moment involved judges Sonali Bendre and Geeta Kapoor awarding bonus points to Anjali — acknowledging exceptional performance quality in the finale’s preliminary rounds. These bonus points, combined with public votes and accumulated judges’ scores, created genuine suspense about whether they would swing the championship in her favour — making the Samarpan versus Anjali finale competition one of the closest and most compelling in the franchise’s history.
Season 3 Contestants — Complete List
India’s Best Dancer Season 3 featured 14 contestants:
- Samarpan Lama — Winner. Contemporary dancer from Pune.
- Anjali Mamgai — First Runner-Up. Dancer from Delhi with Dance Deewane 3 experience.
- Shivanshu Soni — Second Runner-Up. Competed strongly through the season.
- Aniket Chauhan — 4th Position. Later became co-host in IBD Season 4.
- Vipul Khandapal — 5th Position. Versatile dancer in the top 5.
- Ram Bist — Contestant who previously participated in IBD Season 1.
- Akshay Pal — Dancer from Indore, former India’s Dancing Superstar runner-up.
- Boogie LLB — Dancer eliminated in the round just before the grand finale.
- Apeksha Londhe — Contestant who generated significant audience discussion.
- Piyush Auti — Talented dancer from the Season 3 lineup.
- Bhavani — Contestant from the nationwide audition selection.
- Shivam Yadav — Dancer competing in the main competition phase.
- Priyanka — Contestant from the Season 3 top 14 selection.
- Vikas — Dancer from the Season 3 nationwide talent search.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Who won India’s Best Dancer Season 3?
A: Samarpan Lama, a contemporary dancer from Pune, won India’s Best Dancer Season 3 and took home ₹15 lakhs prize money.
Q: Why did Malaika Arora leave India’s Best Dancer Season 3?
A: Malaika Arora was replaced by Sonali Bendre on the Season 3 judging panel. Geeta Kapoor and Terence Lewis continued as judges.
Q: Who hosted India’s Best Dancer Season 3?
A: Jay Bhanushali hosted Season 3, taking over from Maniesh Paul who had hosted Season 2.
Q: Who was the runner-up of India’s Best Dancer Season 3?
A: Anjali Mamgai from Delhi was the first runner-up. Shivanshu Soni was the second runner-up.
Q: What was special about the Season 3 finale?
A: The judges introduced a bonus 10-point award for one finalist, creating a potential game-changing twist. Govinda made a celebrated appearance recreating his iconic dance with Sonali Bendre, and Tiger Shroff and Kriti Sanon also graced the finale.
Q: How many episodes did India’s Best Dancer Season 3 have?
A: Season 3 ran for 27 episodes — making it one of the longest seasons in the franchise’s history.
