AMIT TANDON

How did you enter the TV world?
I started my career as a Channel [V] VJ. I also was one of the 10 finalists of Indian Idol. This gave me a bigger platform where I was noticed. Thus, I made my foray into TV serials, my first one being Ekta Kapoor's Kaisa Yeh Pyar Hai.

What are your current projects on television?

I'm currently working in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi on Star Plus. Here, I play the role of Manthan, Karan and Tanya Virani's son.

What character do you play?
My character is typically of a bade baap ki bigdi hui aulad! Manthan is over confident and proud since his father's a billionaire. He misuses his power. Basically, his is a very selfish character.

How far do you relate to this character?
I am diametrically opposite to the billionaire's son that I portray. We have nothing in common.

Can you tell us something about your hobbies?
I like singing, watching movies, listening to music and playing squash.

Which has been the happiest moment in your life?
The happiest moment of my life was when I signed my first television serial.

What kind of roles do you like to play?
I like to play characters which have lots of emotion and many shades. But more than positive characters, I like to play the negative ones as they call for more creativity and effort.

What are your future projects?
I want to launch my music album. As far as my future projects are concerned, I will be starring in a show which will release, maybe, next month. The name of the show has not yet
been decided.

CRICKET IDOL

NEW DELHI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Thursday announced a reality TV show 'Cricket Star' that aims to cash in on the popularity of the game through a talent hunt programme.

Cricket Star, on the lines of 'Indian Idol', will screen applicants from across the country and select the best through auditions in their region.

The finalists will spend up to 10 weeks in an academy where they will be subjected to a televised series of unique mental and physical tests.

They will also get a chance to display their cricket skills through weekly televised matches involving cricket celebrities.

The performances will be marked while the public will vote by phone and internet to prune down the list. The final selection will be made by millions of television viewers in a dramatic final episode.

The applications would be processed in August and the regional screening would take place in September-October.

The Cricket Star academy would open in November and the winner would be identified in the first week of February.

Investors in Cricket (IIC), the company behind the concept, has plans to televise the programme in the UK in 2007 and in Pakistan soon after.

Interestingly, Fraser Castellino of IIC, said the programme would serve as a selection trial for the board and the winner would be fast-tracked into the national side.

Faced with a barrage of questions, Castellino made a volte face. "We will use the board's facilities and draw on the coaching staff but there is no guarantee of selection into the state or national team," Castellino said.

Kapil Dev, Chairman of Board's Cricket Development Committee said, "India is a vast country. If the board can reach the rural areas (to hunt talent), it is good. And if others can also do that, then it should be welcome."

"We have the honorary and professional set up on either side. In two or three years we will come to know who has done what work," Kapil added.

Castellino said Cricket Star was a commercial arrangement between IIC and the board.

Board's Marketing Committee members, I S Bindra and Lalit Modi, were not present at the press conference although the invite said they would be.

BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah said over phone: "It is like that musical programme, and nothing else."

SHOWS

The truth is Jassi is not your asli Punjabi kudi grown up on sarson da sag, makki di roti and desi ghee. The original — silly fringe, oversized spectacles, denture and all — is Columbian. And our good old Jassi, and her German, Russian, Dutch, Greek and soon-to-be-created American sisters are all cast in the mould of Beatriz Pinzón Solano of the hit show Yo Soy Betty La Fea.

Over the last few years, international formats seem to have outshone all other programming. What KBC did for Amitabh Bachchan's career or what Indian Idol and Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin did for Sony is the kind of stuff that media folklores are made of. Those running currently include Ek Ladki Anjani Si (Juana's Miracle) and Deal Ya No Deal on Sony, Fear Factor India on AXN, Heartbeat on Star One to name a few. The line-up of what's to come can't get any bigger: Extreme Makeover , The Apprentice and even the always-controversial Big Brother.

They're all raking in the moolah, you would presume. After all Indian Idol reportedly recorded 5.5 crore votes (convert SMS into earnings); its first winner Abhijeet Sawant's debut album sold more than 9 lakh copies — a record five-year high.

But producers of these mega shows insist that fiction is the staple of Indian television. "At any given time we have just one or two format shows on the channel. All other shows are home-grown content," says Anupama Mandloi, Senior Vice-President and Head of Programming, Sony Entertainment Television. No matter how many marriages, how many resurrections... the audience seem to never tire of their Baas, their Saas, and their Bahus.

"Game shows and reality programming are only the icing on the cake," says Rajesh Kamat, Managing Director, Endemol, format owners of Deal Or No Deal, Fear Factor and Who Wants to be a Millionaire , known as KBC here.

The reason why format shows seem so overwhelming is the superbly orchestrated marketing drama that supports them. The buzz (or fuss) created around the participants of reality shows is incredibly indulgent in tele-time. Moreover, celebrity anchor fees, celebrity guest fees and prize money add up to make the cost per episode much higher than that of fiction shows, points out Kamat. Plus, "a daily runs for about 200 episodes, a weekly reality show will do 52 episodes a season."

But surely the icing is rich enough to entice both FremantleMedia and Endemol to set up shop in India. Season two of Indian Idol was produced by Fremantle. Heartbeat and Deal Ya No Deal are Endemol formats currently produced by Synergy for Star One, and by Miditech for Sony respectively. Further runs and all new Endemol formats will be undertaken by the India arm. Nirat Alva of Miditech, which produced Indian Idol 1, admits that though they may have had an advantage earlier ("of knowing what works and what doesn't on the ground"), things are very competitive now. "Endemol has a quality team of great dynamic professionals, who are equally aware of the Indian scene."

More than a `mould'

Miditech has acquired the licence to produce formats owned by the Swedish reality programmer Strix, such as The Farm and Survivor. "People see us as the reality TV guys, but the truth is we do everything across the board, from documentaries for National Geographic and Discovery Channel to soaps," says Alva, adding that format shows aren't ready-to-cook dal makhni, and do involve creativity.

"I don't know whether you can call Gali Gali Sim Sim (the Hindi version of Sesame Street) a format show or if it wouldn't be more appropriate to call it a brand," he says. Kamat agrees, "At the end of the day, Deal Ya No Deal or Fame Gurukul is going to be relevant to our audience only if it is rooted in our own cultural idiom."

Sony may have had a very rewarding experience with format shows. Yet, warns Mandloi, "Dependability is not a term associated with entertainment.

This is a high-risk business. There are no guarantees. Format shows provide a blueprint but do not ensure success."

Miditech's own RAAH (Romance Adventure Aap Aur Hum) may not have done too well, but its Extreme Makeover series for Sony may just be the heart-wrenching, soul-stirring reality show we have been waiting for. Alva claims it rises far above the perverse voyeurism it is usually accused of. "It's not purely cosmetic, in fact it is being produced by a primarily women's team, who are socially very, very sensitive. We'd like to believe we are giving the person a second chance," says Alva. Case files belong to the boy whose smile was smashed by a cricket ball, or the girl whose face is a melted grimace from the acid thrown at her. "We've had some amazing responses, from top doctors and hospitals who believe it is about giving back. They have offered to take cases that were too complicated beyond the purview of television, and treat them anyway," he says. "I'll be honest. It also makes for fantastic television."

Sony won't share figures, but it is confident that Indian Idol was the "biggest phenomenon ever to hit Indian television". "We have created an equity with the Indian Idol brand and it's here to stay," says Mandloi. "Audiences everywhere are the same. As long as shows address universal emotions of love, hate, anger, jealousy, greed, desire, etc they will succeed in addressing a larger cross-section of the audience."

Before you can say `So much for the uniqueness of Indian Television!' here's the good news. Zee has stuck to desi formats, and rather successfully. Antakshari ran more than 600 episodes and into 12 years. Saregama and pa, is still going strong. Though Cinestar Ki Khoj, and now Business Baazigar are a little more format-ish, they're home grown. And there's Star One's Great Indian Laughter Challenge and Nach Baliye. The latter seems to have set the new trend of marrying celebrity with reality TV like in Synergy Communication's game show Heartbeat.

According to Alva, going regional is yet another option. He cites the outcome of Indian Idol 2, where a populist vote worked in north Indian Sandeep Acharya's favour. "Karunya (the runner-up) was a very talented singer, and many would say a better singer. If there was more connectivity with southern audiences, it might have guaranteed him more votes." (Trivia: Karunya is currently recording for a Vidhu Vinod Chopra film). Star's already ventured there, taking mug and Koffee with a K to a show hosted by Suchi on Vijay TV.

Those in the business believe it's only a matter of time before they make their own blue books and syndicate the shows, and Indian formats are ready for export. Endemol is in discussion with broadcasters and will in a month begin airing shows designed in India and for an Indian market. According to Kamat, it is simple arithmetic. "Our philosophy is quite clear, we have more than 900 format shows, and we add a hundred to that every year. So every country produces about two to three new formats."

Till then you'll just have to make do with Endemol's biggest format show, Big Brother, which accounts for 30 per cent of their global turnover, or will it be Bade Bhai?

Ruchi Narain directs Indian Idol 2

Unlike Indian Idol 1, the music album of Indian Idol 2 has arrived with far less fanfare and that could be the reasons why the director of its music video 'Mere Saath Saara Jahaan' is going unnoticed!

Ruchi Narain is the female who directs Indian Idol 2 - Sandeep Acharya in his debut music video 'Mere Saath Saara Jahaan'. Ruchi Narain? Does the name ring a bell? Well, she is the female who made her directorial debut with Shiney Ahuja-Chitrangda Singh-Smriti Mishra starrer 'Kal - Yesterday and Tomorrow' that released last year and virtually went unnoticed. Her effort was appreciated though from certain quarters that saw sparks of an upcoming talent in him.

Ruchi is not new to Bollywood as she has earlier written films like Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Calcutta Mail and Snip

karunya sing

Asthram:’ Pleasant in patchesSaturday June 17 2006 19:13 IST
P Tulasi
Unlike his other movies, Asthram (starring Vishnu Vardhan and Anushka) by S A Rajkumar, has a fairly large sprinkling of mass songs. The only relief is the track Prema Kanna Emundi by Rajesh, Ananthu & chorus which is hummable. Veturi’s lyrics need no certificate -- because they are simply superb.The lyrics for the title track for which Vishwa, Anchal and the music director himself have lent their voices, is a mix of Telugu, Hindi and English. It is a hot number having drumbeats and is targetted at youth. The two numbers penned by Bhaskarabhatla Ravi Kumar obviously are meant for keeping masses in good humour.Padahare, sung by Shreya Ghoshal and Roshini, resembles a qawwali. Another track, Sakhiya, sung once by Karunya (Indian Idol fame) and by Hariharan, both accompanied by the female singer Shivani, is enjoyable. Bhuvanachandra’s lyrics fail to leave a long-lasting impression on the listener.The track, Undipo Nesthama though sung by Chitra and Rajesh, fails to be melodious. The album has three pleasant numbers.It also provides karaoke for all the numbers. Budding singers can record the songs in their voice and get a chance to render their voices in the forthcoming film to be produced by Supreme Recording Company Private Limited.

Neha kakar

Idol-finalist flooded with sympathy after ‘death’

Call it a comedy of error, but Neha Kakkar, an Indian Idol finalist, was hardly amused. She had been declared dead by the TV channels and newspapers.
“I am alive. I am very much alive," shouted the 18-year old in the phone. “God I can’t explain how it feels to be declared dead when you are alive. I and my family are struggling hard to tell people that it’s not me who committed suicide last night.”
It was another Neha Kakkar, also a resident of Janakpuri, who “mysteriously” fell down from the local district centre on Saturday evening.
“I left Delhi for Mumbai on Saturday night. The same time, the incident happened. My absence from home further added to the confusion. Several people assumed that could be due to some controversy we are deliberately denying it,” Kakkar told the Hindustan Times.
Relatives and friends started pouring in almost immediately after the news was flashed. “Even the local policemen were there,” she said.
The worst of all, says Kakkar, is that even after being informed of her well being, no news channel bothered to run an apology or a corrigendum. “There was a big breaking news that declared me dead but when I informed them I was alive, they just brushed the issue,” said Kakkar.
Her mother Kamlesh Kakkar, the first one to see the breaking news of her youngest daughter’s death, became speechless until the family rushed and called Neha to confirm. Despite talking to Neha several times on phone she has still not come out of the shock completely.
“As I was on my way to airport when a news channel first flashed this news she thought I probably died in a road accident. Thank God they got the confirmation before I boarded the flight. I wonder what might would have happened to my family if the news would have flashed after my boarding the flight and switching off the phone," said Kakkar who is now worried about how to inform all her sponsors that she is alive and ready to perform.
Kakkar turned 18 early this month.

AUDIO RELEASED

The audio of NTR and Samira starrer Ashok was released in the market on june 8th. The good news is that the music scored by Mani Sarma has got positive report. Music lovers feel the music is different this time is offbeat and different from what one gets to hear in NTR films. The Mani Sarma impact is definitely there and Ashok songs are far better than Samba and Narasimhudu. Jaabiliki vennlistha, Ekantanga Vunna, Oka chinna navve navvi, Mumtaj Mahal are all melodious and would be a sure fire hit with the class and youth but Nuvvesukunna dress nacchale and Gola gola are so so. Indian Idol 2 Karunya scored well in Ekantanga Vunna.

AMIT TANDON IN KYUKI

Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Indian television’s most popular soap, will once again take a leap into the unknown future with a 20-year fast forward. As of last week, it has introduced seven new faces who will decide the fortunes of the Virani family as we join the fourth generation.

Ever since our dear Tulsi departed, Shantiniketan has been in mourning. It’s time to shake it all up. And so, in true Star Plus fashion and in accordance with the producers (Balaji Telefilms) wishes, new characters will try to take Tulsi’s place. The Virani home has a new set, one wall in the snazzy mansion is covered with garlanded photos of all dead family members-quite a number by now, including the saintly Tulsi (Smriti Z Iraani). However, Baa (Sudha Shivpuri) lives on as the all-knowing matriarch. As you may know, Saahil's wife Ganga moved out of the house too, making way for the conniving Meera. Mihir, meanwhile, finds himself disoriented, lost.
Here’s some help figuring out TV’s famous new khandaan.

If Tulsi is missing, we need a new main female lead character. So please welcome onboard, Krishna Tulsi. The serial also introduces a mix of characters - the religious, mischievous, sensitive Krishna Nakul, who is bitter due to his non-wealthy status. Then there is the leader Bhumi - a spoilt brat and a tomboy. We will also see Akashdeep Saighal (Ansh) coming back to the show in the role of Eklavya. The family mix completes with Manthan, who like Meera and Mandira is shrewd, brooding and very manipulative. Living with this family is also the lovable and geek Joydeep.

Will viewers stay glued to the show? Chances are the answer is yes. The competition is poor at 10 . 30 pm and there’s still Karan, Tanya, Meera, and Mihir around. And there is always the possibility of Tulsi’s return.

Brief Profiles
Krishna Tulsi (Mouni Roy): Tulsi Virani’s adopted daughter. A debut performance, Roy is being guarded as the surprise item of the new pack.

Eklavya (Akashdeep Saigal): Ansh and Shraddha’s son. His father was killed by Tulsi, he’s got the same look and starts off as a good boy who turns bad.

Lakshya Virani (Pulkit Samrat): Ganga and Sahil’s son. Was to be the lead in the now stalled serial Sixer. In Kyunki..., expect some romance between him and Krishna. “Instant recognition” is what Samrat’s hoping for with his second trial on TV.

Nakul Virani (Naman Shaw): Ganga and Saahil’s son. Is currently seen as Pushkar on Balaji’s Kasamh Se, on Zee. Bagged the Best Smile award at Grasim Mr India 2003, when he was 18. Took on this role because when “Ektaa ma’am tells us to do anything, we do it.”

Bhumi Virani (Reshmi Ghosh): Tanya and Karan’s daughter. “My best career advancing move since Miss India,” she says. She’s been in the entertainment industry for seven years, doing theatre, telefilms and TV.

Manthan Virani (Amit Tandon): Tanya and Karan’s son. The New Yorker who's perhaps best remembered as an Indian Idol contestant, Tandon is trying hard to shrug off the American accent “Is serial main toh shudh Hindi bolte hain,” he says.

Joydeep (Manav Vij): Ganga’s relative, adopted by Saahil. The homeopath and clinical psychologist-turned actor has Punjabi and Telugu films to his credit. “Given my background, it would seem like I need the serial more than it needs me,” he says. His “slow” character is inspired by Tusshar Kapoor's role in the film Gayab.

Archita (Gunjan Vijaya): Harsh and Mohini’s daughter. She was Sanya in Sahara One’s Hare Kaanch ki Choodiyan, until a while ago. Vijaya’s also shot for Balaji’s thriller Karbon Kopy, but is tight-lipped about details. “Kyunki... is my big break, just look at the star cast,” she gushes.

SANDEEP FOR ANIMAX

India now a focus market for Animax

By HETAL ADESARA Indiantelevision.com Team

(12 June 2006 9:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Until now India was not as important a market for Sony Pictures Entertainment's (SPE) anime channel Animax and that reflected in its poor and negligible ratings. But now, with the repositioning of Animax Asia, which took place on 1 June, 2006, the network will be pushing it in India will renewed vigour.

Animax Asia has been repositioned as a lifestyle channel for the youth and will target the age group of 15 - 24-year-olds. One of the reasons for this shift was the fact that animation from Japan was moving towards a more youth-driven demographic. Hence, keeping with the pace of change, Animax too was repositioned. Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, SPE Networks Asia vice president Animax programming and production Betty Tsui says, "In the last couple of years, we were not very focused on the Indian market because we underestimated the Indian youth's consumption of animation. Our focus initially was on the kids' but now we will be targeting the youth and the Indian market with renewed focus." "We are not a kids' channel and we're not competing with the likes of Cartoon Network and Pogo. Animax will be creating a category of its own. We are not followers. Animax will be charting out its own path," she adds. Apart from the re-positioning, Tsui also informed that Animax will also be looking at targeting the youth with the gaming and mobile platforms. "We will be connecting with the youth not only with animation but also with gaming and mobile. However, it is still too early to talk about it," she says. Animax is also undertaking an extensive lifestyle survey of their target audience in order to understand what's important to them and where they get their messages from. Once the results of the survey are out, the channel will be analyzing the responses received and accordingly bring about changes in the channel and its promotions. Queried whether the channel was looking at going totally Hindi, unlike the Hinglish feed that it has now, Tsui says, "One of the questions in the lifestyle survey that we will be conducting will be Animax's language preference of our target audience. Based on the results, we will take the necessary changes. South Indian languages may also be a possibility as we are open to everything." The channel has streamlined its programme structure to target the youth segment and has also introduced an on-air creative campaign - Imagine Nation - to capture the minds of the youth. Imagine-Nation features popular personalities that are connected to the creative world of games, film, anime and design from the Asian region to share with viewers their success stories, aspirations and passion for their work. For starters, F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan and Indian Idol 2 winner Sandeep Acharya will be featured on this from India. "We will be featuring people who are successful but not necessarily in the conventional sense of the term. Our aim is to inspire our viewers to pursue their dreams, whatever they may be," says Tsui. The programming line up will be spruced up with popular anime that have garnered massive followings in Japan and around the world. Animax features programmes of various genres, from action (Blood+, Trinity Blood) to sci-fi (Ghost in the Shell), romance (Paradise Kiss and Honey & Clover) to drama (Black Jack, Jigoku Shojo), and also favorites like (Dragon Ball). A new integrated brand campaign in India will also be rolled out in a couple of weeks.

MERE SATH SATH

During this season of Indian Idol, a star was born. He possessed all the attributes necessary to win the crown: talent, determination, a dynamic personality, and songs that came straight from his soul. The judges liked him; the people loved him. However, Hyderabadi powerhouse N.C. Karunya lost the title of Indian Idol II. As did talented Mumbai heartthrob Amey Date. Amidst the excitement that ensued during the Indian Idol season, the people had formed a winning bond with quiet Sandeep Acharya, who hails from a small village in Rajasthan, a vast state in the northwestern region of India.

Sandeep Acharya, newly crowned Indian Idol II, just released his first album under Sony, titled “Mere Saath Sara Jahan.” The music was composed by Sandeep Chowta and Deepak Pandit. The lyrics were written by Sameer and Manoj Muntashir. Did channeling the talent and creativity of such big names do the trick for Sandeep? Let’s take a look.

Mere Saath Sara Jahan (Winning Performance)

This song is not as good as Mohabbatein Lutaunga, which was given to Indian Idol 1, Abhijeet Sawant. However, it’s not bad. Sandeep sounds a little raw, which was expected considering his performances during the show. The softness required in a few places is not there and that flaw is very apparent. I will say, though, that he stayed in tune, didn’t miss notes, and carried the song pretty well overall. The music sounds different but is missing that extra punch needed to make it extraordinary. The lyrics are simple, but I actually like them, especially the second verse.

Ek zarre ko chand banaya, tera shukriya
Tune hi mujhko gaana sikhaaya, tera shukriya
Jo mere paas hai, tera ehsaas hai

He talks about reaching beyond the stars, but in this particular part, he thanks the people who taught him to sing and turned him into a star. This part stands out for me only because when Karunya sang the song during the finals, he did it with so much emotion. Sandeep’s rendition isn’t as soulful, but Karunya’s version stuck in my head. Other than that verse, the rest of the words sort of fade into oblivion. Overall, this song will probably make the charts, but I doubt it will hit the top spots.


Yeh Kaisa Deewanapan Hai

This is a sweet song. The lyrics are typical of Sameer- he is asking what sort of craziness he is suffering from love. Sandeep’s high notes sound lovely, but when he hits the low notes, he gets sloppy. A large portion of this song is on the low side, so it often sounds slightly sloppy. He gets the emotions right in some places, and misses the mark in others. However, it is a valiant effort to bring out the innocence of this song in his voice.


Ishq Ho Gaya

This is the first song of the album that made me sit up. About a minute into it, I went back to slouching. The flaw in this song lies partly in Sandeep’s voice and partly in the composition. As I said before, Sandeep still sounds really raw in places and has trouble bringing out the softness in his voice. But that can be fixed if the composition holds the listener. Here, it doesn’t. A good effort, but not quite good enough.


Mere Saath Sara Jahan (Album Version)

I tried to get into the feelings behind this song, but Sandeep just couldn’t capture me. It sounded as amateurish as the winning performance version. Here, I have to draw comparison between Sandeep and Abhijeet Sawant, last year’s winner. Both versions of Abhijeet’s Mohabbatein Lutaunga were lovely. The proper feeling just didn’t exist in Sandeep’s songs. The music wasn’t very good either- it didn’t quite mesh with the song (except for the flute in between). To sum up this song: It’s boring.


Mhare Des Mein

This has to be my favorite song on the album. From the minute Sandeep begins singing it, you know it’s going to be likable. The music is meant to give the feeling of Rajasthan and the music director succeeds in doing so. I also really like the words.

Mhare des mein mhare gaaon mein
In galiyon mein in raahon mein
Bachpan beeta mhara
Aasman ki chhaon mein
Aao pardesi aao
Aao mhare gaaon mein
Aao pardesi aao
Aao mhare des mein

He is inviting outsiders to see the true essence of where he lives- the streets of his village, the village belles, and a childhood spent under the stars. But what makes this song unique is the language. It’s not done it typical Hindi some of the words are Rajasthani, which is refreshing to hear. And as for the singing- hats off to Sandeep for this song. He’s done a wonderful job with it. You can tell he’s enjoying singing it, too. The best song on the album, hands down.


Papa Kehte Hain

Now this song was totally unnecessary in this album. We’ve heard it a thousand times. In fact, Sandeep sang the same song on the Indian Idol 2 album, Woh Pehli Baar. I didn’t like in on Woh Pehli Baar, and I certainly don’t like it on two different albums. Also, it seemed out of place in an album full of original compositions. It’s not very good. Period. I didn’t like the music. And the lyrics? Well, we’ve all heard them before in the original. And the singing is alright, too. Nothing extraordinary. Blech.


Sagar Jaisi Aankhon Wali

This is another remake of an original song. This one is much better than Papa Kehte Hain, but I still wasn’t impressed. Sandeep’s singing is tremendously better in this song, but I’m still not convinced that he can do soft songs as soulfully as he should. There is no place for this song in this album. Like it’s predecessor, it’s out of place among original compositions. I will say, however, that I enjoyed the music. It’s close to the original music and the sounds really good!


Dhol

When I first heard this song, I thought I was listening to a really bad remix of “Dhoom Machale” from the movie Dhoom (Dhoom, dhoom, come on light my fire…). However, when Sandeep started singing, I had to pause for a minute. Where was this Sandeep during Idol galas? He sounds awesome. His voice is unrecognizable, in a good way. It’s a little loud and confusing (you have to listen to it to know what I mean), but Sandeep’s singing makes up for all the flaws. Yes folks, you heard me. I just said that…about Sandeep. Not Amey. Not Karunya. Sandeep. I surprised myself, too, with that statement. I sort of like this song, second to Mhare Des Mein. If it had been done in a non-remix style, it would’ve been much better, though.

So, now comes the final verdict. First, the pros. The album is true to Sandeep’s identity as a Rajasthani. The music in most of the pieces is reminiscent of Rajasthan, and that makes it stand out. It is a valiant effort by Sandeep. His singing springs very few surprises—he’s consistent throughout. The listener knows only to expect one or two gems from an album full of mediocrity. In this case, Mhare Des Mein is it. And maybe Dhol. During the galas, it was much the same way. Holi Khele Raghuveera stood out, but the rest of Sandeep’s performances were forgettable. See? Consistency. Well done on that note, Sandeep.

And since I’ve halfway started on the cons, here’s the rest. The title song isn’t catchy and the remaining songs are simply boring. I also think that the lyricists and music directors put in a half-hearted effort in some of the songs. I may have actually liked Abhijeet Sawant’s album, but I don’t like this one.

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MEENAL JAIN

Meenal is on a high. And high thinking has made it possible. For Meenal, the foremost philosophy is that whatever happens in life does so for the best. Those following this Indian Idol finalist noticed not only her effortless singing and ever-smiling countenance but also the fact that the young lass ambitiously chose a higher and challenging level of song than the female competition.After all, as this Indore-born talent puts it,”I have to achieve my father’s dream!”She is just back from the ‘awesome’ experience of singing at an Indo-Pak harmony concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London along with Sonu Nigam, Abida Parveen and Fuzon. Meenal says, “I sang ‘Lambi judaai...’ from Hero, but even when I entered the stage the crowds were cheering ‘Meenal, we love you!’ It was a fantastic experience!” Screen meets up the charming singer for an illuminating chat. Excerpts. You were mentioned on the Indian Idol show as Meenal Jain from Mumbai. But aren’t you from Indore?Yes, I do belong to Indore, but I am in Mumbai for the last ten years, in fact, it was on my 10th birthday on June 14, 1996 that we landed here so that I could pursue learning music.
So your parents were not opposed to your career in music.On the contrary, it is my father’s dream that I became a great singer. He is not a musician but has a great ear for music. He sensed my flair for music when I was six and my sister was learning the parat dance. She was dancing to the song ‘Piya tose naina laage re...’ and I was completely overwhelmed by the song and quietly learnt it. One day I made him listen, and his casual indulgence at hearing his daughter sing turned to admiration. My father then tried for four years to get me trained in Indore but the general attitude there was that a kid of my age was too young to train. So we shifted to Mumbai, with my mom staying with me, because Dad has his business in Indore. Ironically, the teachers whom we approached here asked my parents why they had not started training me much earlier!
So where did you learn music?I joined a well-known institute but could not adjust to the atmosphere there. Then a friend of my father’s friend (!) introduced us to his neighbours, Shri Manohar Rai and his wife Krishna Kalle-Rai, who is a well-known senior singer. And I owe most of my expertise to them and their dedication. I have become like the pampered daughter of their family and to me they are like my second parents. They first taught me how to be a good human being, and how to ensure that I radiated good culture and upbringing.I began with light vocals, gradually moving to heavier classical music. They also trained me at that delicate stage when my voice changed to an adult tenor.
Were they your only teachers in music?I also learnt under Bhavdeep Jaipurwale-ji and I still occasionally go to Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan-saab. I also learned for 18 months with Gautam (Mukherjee)-ji, jinhonein mera galaa taiyyar kiya, while Kuldip (Singh)-ji is teaching me the intricacies of playback singing.
With this solid foundation, why did you not try for work directly?I did work before I entered the Indian Idol contest. I began working as a chorus singer for Ravindra Jain-ji in his devotional albums and later graduated to solo lines. I sang ‘Dil to hai bezubaan...’ under Daniel B. George in the 2005 Sahara One Motion Pictures’ film Sehar. The song was in the album but its Adnan Sami version was used in the film.Before that, I was called by my neighbour Sneha Khanwilkar to sing for the title-song of last year’s release Kal. I never knew that she was a music director, because I knew her as an excellent artist. It was interesting that Sneha, my lyricist Swanand Kirkire and I were all from Indore!

What have been your assignments after Indian Idol made you known?I have recorded the title-song of Ram Gopal Varma’s Go in all three languages in which it is being made - Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. I have done some promos composed by Daniel for the Sahara Network. I have gone for shows with Sonu Nigam-ji who has been very helpful and appreciative.
Karunya, who emerged as the first runner-up, and you are very close friends.Yes. He even calls me ‘Meenal amma’ because I am always giving him advice! Like I saw which way the trends were going and mentally prepared him to lose the finals despite his brilliance as a singer. I have personally always been a chilled-out, calm and positive person who believes that everything happens for the best.On the show, Monali, Karunya and I had a special bond, so when Monali went out, Karunya and I become inseparable. Basically we all had the same fetish for always discussing music, and ways of experimenting and trying to meet vocal challenges. Even our small talk would be only about music.
You have a very fresh voice with a folkish element, yet it can easily be moulded into a Western kind of tenor.I am very lucky. I think that with my kind of vocal throw I will be more suited to the Asha Bhosle-Sunidhi Chauhan mould, and that is why though some of my biggest favourites are Lata-ji’s songs, I do feel a bit scared to attempt them!
What is the secret behind your casual effortlessness at any kind of song and your preference for a higher calibre of music that was so obvious from your choice of songs?I think that the effortlessness comes from the fact that I treat every song I attempt as my own. I even added my own harkatein to ‘Lambi judaai...’ on Indian Idol and in London. I cannot stress myself while singing any song, which is again because I am a cool person!As for a taste for a better calibre of music than many of my contestants, I think that to a good extent that it is inborn, and besides I have always exposed myself to the best of every kind of music.