"Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa" Season 7 winner Ashish Sharma beat Karan Tacker, Mouni Roy, and Shakti Mohan to win the super finale. Upon lifting the trophy, the "Rangrasiya" actor said he initially thought he would be out in two weeks.
"I thought I would be out of the show after two-three weeks. I thought I wouldn't be able handle the pressure of two shows -- "Rangrasiya" and "Jhalak". I had never imagined that I would reach the finale. More than anything else, I am just relieved it's over," Sharma told The Times of India.
With having to juggle two shows simultaneously, the actor said he had a crazy schedule and didn't get any sleep in the last 4 months.
Crediting his fans for the win, he said votes have been crucial for him. "The audience supported me. No matter how good a dancer you are, how well you perform, you won't be able to go ahead if you don't get their votes. The entire journey of "Jhalak" has been about audience support."
The actor also took to Twitter to thank his audience. "My pain ur wishes my struggle ur blessings my hardwork ur belief my sweat ur care..finally we did it guys triumph is all ours..cheers to us," he posted.
From being a non-dancer to a dance-show winner, Sharma's growth has been phenomenal. His choreography partner Shampa, who designed the acts keeping in mind his strengths and weaknesses, deserves a special mention here. "Shampa designed all the acts. She knew that my strength lay in acting and she utilized that in all the acts. She has won "Jhalak" twice and that shows her caliber," the actor acknowledged.
With a prize money of Rs 30 lakh and a car, the dishy actor has for sure found more fans in the country. Calling Archana (his wife) a major source of support, he jokes that whatever he earns, goes to his wife and he gets a "monthly allowance."
Now that the popular soap "Rangrasiya" has ended, there have been conjectures that Sharma has been signed by another project. "I'm not even thinking about work right now. I totally deserve a long holiday, I plan to travel a lot in the coming months," the actor told Deccan Chronicle.