Indian Idol 3’ winner launches his debut album

Indian Idol 3' winner launches his debut album

Prashant Tamang

Life is like a fairytale to Prashant Tamang. Winner of Indian Idol 3, Tamang released his debut album, Dhanyavad, under contract with Sony BMG in Gangtok recently.

The album comprises 11 songs, including three versions of the same track and a composition by Zubin Garg. The video of the title track Zindagi Pehle Kabhie is already on air.

The 22-year-old singer from Darjeeling was working earlier with Kolkata police and it was his colleagues who motivated him to give music a serious thought. "I am musical by nature. But, the day I joined the police force, my dreams to pursue singing took a back seat. Nonetheless, my senior, Zulfiquar Hasan, Special Additional Commissioner of Police, pushed me to give auditions for Indian Idol 3," says Tamang. Tamang was called the dark horse of the show and everybody was taken by surprise when he made it to the final two. Even Tamang seconds the point. "Amit was a tough contender and I was never sure of winning. But it is the love of supporters and blessings that I could make it," he smiles. Life is no more the same for Tamang post- Indian Idol, who occasionally misses the carefree days.

"Today, stepping out of home needs planning and adequate arrangements." But this cloud certainly has a silver lining. The pop sensation has earned considerable female fan following in a short span of time. "I am shy by nature. I would never walk up to somebody and strike a conversation. But certainly, I feel good when girls mob me for autographs," comes his honest statement.

O MERI MEHBOOBA DHARAM VEER

NICE SONG

PRASHANT TAMANG NEW INDIAN IDOL

              

After weeks of slugging it out in Sony Entertainment Television's most popular reality show, Indian Idol Prashant Tamang has won the coveted crown.

The grand finale -- a three-hour show held in National Small Industries Corporation Ground, Okhla Industrial Estate, New Delhi -- saw thousands of fans waiting breathlessly for the results, while millions others watched it from their homes.

The show saw performances from the top 13 contestants, as well as from Mika, Alisha Chinnai, Anu Malik , Udit Narayan and Sukhwinder.

John Abraham  made a surprise entry at the end, and was the one to declare Prashant the winner. As soon as he heard the news, Prashant -- a 24-year-old constable from Darjeeling -- became emotional and could not hold back his tears. His mother, who was accompanying him, broke down in tears as well.

On the other hand, runner-up Amit Paul, who hails from Shillong, was all smiles.

Both boys win a Maruti  SX4 car each, while Prashant bags a Rs 1 crore contract with Sony as well.

The boys, who seem to be the nation's favourite singers right now, got a whooping seven crore votes during the contest

 

Religious Indian Idol On Astha

The Indian version will enjoy a vast audience, especially among the young - regarded as key viewers by Aastha.

The show will be known initially as Religious Indian Idol.

The show is presently in the planning and pre-production stage. It is scheduled to go on air during the festival season around September.

'No losers'

Prizes include vacations at various religious sites across the country.

The producers plan on making the programme as broad-based as possible - from visiting schools and colleges across the country to launching the programme in three Indian languages.

The show hopes to emulate the success of its American counterpart

Aastha Chairman Kirit Mehta told the BBC News website they would encourage people from different backgrounds, religions, faiths and sects to take part in the programme.

"The songs will be in keeping with the profile of the channel. There will be folk music, folk dances based on festivals, classical songs based on God or philosophy or life's values, so we will have this kind of a broad classification," he said.

Bollywood dance songs will not be allowed, but should a devotional song feature in a movie, a participant will be allowed to sing that in the programme.

Mr Mehta said it would be an anchor-based show and there would be a panel of judges, but the details were still being finalised.

The winner will be chosen on the basis of the judges' decision and a public vote, but Mr Mehta maintained the show would be different from the others because there would be no losers.

"There is no competition," he said.

"It will not be like someone saying 'I am better than the other person so I have to sing and dance very well,' there will no pressure there.

"There will only be the joy of competing very honestly and frankly."

Reality shows have been popular amongst Indian audiences, especially when they feature film and television stars.

I wouldn't mind participating in such a programme Sheetal Jain

Indian versions of shows Pop Idol and Strictly Come Dancing enjoy tremendous popularity among viewers of all age groups.

Mr Mehta said it was hoped a music-based programme would draw a wide cross section of viewers in addition to the young.

The idea has caught the fancy of some youngsters.

Seventeen-year-old Jinay Savla says he would not mind participating in such a programme, and would certainly watch it.

"I think our generation believes more in God and is not afraid to show it as compared to the earlier one.

"I would love to see people sing such songs from their hearts, it would be quite an experience."

Religious discourses

Another student, Sheetal Jain, said she would also try and catch the programme whenever she could.

"I attend classes where I learns about my religion, Jainism and I think I am quite religious by nature. I wouldn't mind participating in such a programme," she said.

However, computer instructor Vandana Parekh feels religion is something personal that one "does in one's free time" so Religious Indian Idol will not draw her to the sofa.

"I don't watch any religious channel because where is the time? I go to temples every now and then and my daughter also attends religious discourses but that's as and when we can manage.

"I think such a programme would certainly create some interest among those who already view religious channels.

"There are already so many such similar programmes running on entertainment channels, I doubt if such a programme in itself would be enough to attract more viewers to a religious channel," she said.

Jolly Das Out

Friday Night, the 12 Finalists expressed their personalities by selecting suitable songs! Some were good, some were average and some were really bad! On Saturday night – one more contestant was sent home packing…

Mini Mathur and Hussain started the show by informing us how awesome the performances were and how Abhishek Kumar, Jolly Das and Smita Adhikari succumbed to great pressure and could not perform that well! They also stated how Prashant Tamang and Charu Semwal received negative comments from Annu Malek, but added that ultimately the voters had decided the fate of one contestant… Who will be staying? And who will be leaving?

This is Indian Idol 3 – The Result Show!

Before the Bottom Four were disclosed, they showed a clip of a Pakistani family, which visited the Indian Idol wannabes as they were great fans of the show! Their interaction with the 12 Finalists was really sweet! The Finalists sang, "Roo-Ba-Roo" and dedicated the song to the family! I must mention that the lady (I think she was the mother) personified class and looked very dignified and smart! Actually the entire family was great! The contestants were really pleased by the visit and Meiyang Chang said that he prays that the tension between the two countries gets resolved sometime, so that they too can visit Pakistan and interact with the people there! The family said that meeting the contestants and the reception they received was way more than they had expected!

Hussain stated that music can bring hearts together! Actually Hussain I think Art does that! Any Art! In fact, I think Art is the only thing that transcends all the boundaries and all the barriers!

Well, it was a feel-good clip and I thought it was a great start!

Next up was Makeover Story – on Friday Night they had ended the show with a cliff-hanger of sorts, it was about Smita's new avatar! So after showing the awful clip of negativity that surrounded Smita's personality (starting from Annu Malek telling Smita that she had a boring personality to Smita saying that people disliked her looks) they showed consulting optician, dermatologist and stylist, and then Hussain and Mini introduced the new Smita!

I'll admit she looked good, but if I have to be really honest, I don't think she looked bad to begin with! Sure, her skin needed serious treatment, but besides that Smita is a cute gal! Anyway, the hair colour, the contact lenses and the dress worked – she did look glamorous! Annu told her that she acquired an exciting personality (Oy!), but now she had to concentrate on singing in tune!

With that the elimination process started…

Mini asked the judges, who they thought should go home…

Annu Malek chose Jolly,
Alisha Chinai selected Jolly,
And Udit Narayan picked Jolly!

Javed Akhtar Saab wasn't present, but I guess he too would have singled out Jolly!

The hosts turned to the Contestants and asked them the same question…

Smita Adhikari chose herself

Parleen Singh Gill chose Jolly

Puja Chatterjee chose Charu

Meiyang Chang chose Smita

Charu Semwal too chose Smita

Abhishek Kumar also chose Smita

Prashant Tamang went with Smita

Ankita Mishra chose Jolly reluctantly

Amit Paul chose Smita

Deepali chose Jolly

Emon Chatterjee chose Smita

Jolly Das chose herself

Phew!

So if you are not keeping count – 7 Contestants including Smita herself thought that she should leave, while 4 Contestants including Jolly thought that Jolly should leave!

Mini then concentrated on Smita, Parleen and Puja, and not surprisingly, Smita landed in Bottom Four! Parleen and Puja were declared safe!

Hussain turned the attention towards Chang, Charu and Abhishek and said that he had bad news for one of them and called on Abhishek's name and said that they'd disclose it after a break! Coming back from the break, Hussain kept these three in limbo and moved towards Prashant, Ankita and Amit!

Amit was the first one declared safe! Ankita too was established safe quickly and so was Prashant! Mini brought the focus back on Chang, Charu and Abhishek and declared that they all were safe!

WHAT?

Emon and Deepali were in Bottom Four? Seriously?

Ok, I can guess that maybe Annu's comments about Emon and the so-called over-confidence might have swayed brain dead voters, who vote listening to Annu, but what is the excuse in Deepali's case? The gal was flawless, her voice is amazing and frankly her inclusion came as a huge shock! Actually it was equally shocking to see Emon in the Bottom Four, the kid is a great singer and although I criticized his performance, I criticized him based on his standard and no way in heck is he a Bottom Four candidate!

Oh yeah, Jolly too was in Bottom Four as expected!

Mini asked Deepali if she had expected to be in Bottom Four, Deepali stated that since all the singers were really good, anyone can get eliminated including herself! Next Emon was asked about it and he said that due to the criticism he received by the judges, he had prepared himself for elimination!

Deepali was declared safe and I assure you there was a collective sigh of relief!

Hussain asked Smita that she had come on the show with many desires and if she is ousted how would she feel, Smita stated that she never expected to reach this far, but thanks to the viewers she made it this far despite her bad looks! Oy!

Hussain asked the judges to comment on the Bottom Three

Annu almost screamed that Prashant should have been in Bottom Four, (I didn't think Prashant was bad at all) with Charu! (That I agree with!) Annu questioned juntas' selection of Bottom Four! He asked, "On what basis did the junta choose Emon?" Err… Hello! I think you were the most vocal critique of Emon and yet you ask this? Ever heard of irony?

Annu then rattled that compared to Emon, Parleen (who he had praised lavishly) and Abhishek have to work really hard to get to Emon's standing! Ouch!

Udit said that he too was shocked to see Emon and Deepali and then more or less stated that he had performed well, but it seemed like Kolkata did not vote enough as all three were from Kolkata!

After that…

Emon was quickly put out of his misery and was declared safe!

Annu stated that he was very relieved that Emon was back in the game!

Why? So you can damage his spirit again? And what was with that awful suggestion that Emon should sing in a thicker voice when he reaches the upper register? As far as I recall Javed Saab had asked you to give pointers to Emon about it – which you didn't – at least on the show and if this is your extend of help, I am surprised you survived this long!

So the Bottom Two were Smita and Jolly – as I had guessed!

Mini declared that Jolly Das was leaving the show! Smita was declared safe!

Jolly was admirably calm and composed, the contestants however seemed crushed! Charu had tears run down her cheek, even Ankita had tears in her eyes, Smita obviously was crying and then Abhishek! Ok, I am sorry but I think his reaction was more for the camera, because it was in excess! I can be wrong, but I didn't see any tears in his eyes!

They showed Jolly's journey and well it is always heartbreaking to see anyone's dream wither away! So despite me not liking Jolly's voice, I was rather sad!

Jolly sang, "Gazaab Ka Hai Din" rather well, I think song choice killed her chances! I was really surprised by her composed demeanour, but when the contestants joined her on the stage, she finally broke down! One word – Heartbreaking!

So Jolly finally said goodbye to Indian Idol stage paving way for 11 Finalists!

Next week, Shabana Azmi presides as a judge! I have no idea about Shabanaji's musical knowledge, but I know it would be an excellent show! So see y'all on Friday!

Cheers!

Indian idol sang in hyderabad

The 4th CISM Military World Games being held in Hyderabad will always hold a special place in the hearts of the 11 Indian Idol finalists as they got the opportunity to sing Live for the first time on July 08, away from the Mumbai studios where they shoot for the reality programme.

Beginning with the title track of Salaam-e-Ishq, the singers entertained everybody with solo and duet performances. Most of the contestants except Prasant, who is in the police service and Meiyang Chang, a dentist, are still in college. And there are others like Pooja and Emon, who are in class 12.

They all aspire to be playback singers, composers or music directors after completing their studies and want to work with A. R. Rahman or Anu Malik. The contestants loved the crowd turnout and grew a bit more confident about their singing abilities after getting a positive response from everyone present.

But for Parleen Singh Gill, this moment was a bit more special because, "My father is an army officer and I can't explain how good I am feeling today to perform in front of three defence chiefs from the Army, Navy and Air Force. It is a matter of pride for me and my family." Gill says.

This doesn't mean the rest were less excited as Meiyang confesses he loved it when the audience sang along with them. Even Deepti, another contestant was overwhelmed with the response they got and said,"I had always heard that the South Indian audience was very cultured and understood music. After coming to Hyderabad I now know that the above statement is correct."

Seconding her is Abhishek Kumar who said, "We are performing Live for the first time. But it never felt like we are in a new place, before a new audience. Thanks to the encouragement and response we got from the Hyderabadi audience."

Class 12 student Ankita was enjoying a dream come true moment as she confessed, "It feels so good to perform in front of so many people."

Compared to Indian Idol I and II, the contestants of Indian Idol III seem to be more emotionally attached. So say Pooja and Abhishek. "We are always together and never fight or have differences in opinion."

Commenting on the judges, Abhishek says, "Their criticism helps us to improve our singing everyday. During my first audition, only two of the judges were impressed, but now, all say that they like my singing."

Sunidhi Chauhan Rocks on Indian Idol

Sunidhi Chauhan Rocks on Indian Idol

MUMBAI: The contestants of Indian Idol 3 are the best ever confesses Anu Malek who has been with the show since the first season. It explains why the judges could not come to a consensus on their choice for the Wild Card Entry last night. They reserved their verdict last night but tonight it shall be revealed. Who will the judges vote for? That is a surprise! Celebrity guest Sunidhi Chauhan makes the wait worthwhile with her star presence and simply mind blowing performance. She drives people crazy with her singing and when she sings Crazy kiya re it is near pandemonium. The singer, herself a winner of a popular singing contest, joins contestants to set the stage on fire with Beedi Jalaile… Sunidhi is an idol for most of the young contestants for whom it was a dream come true to share the stage with her! Sunidhi, on her part asked the judges to judge her performance and Anu Malek had just one word for her: " Rock Star!" Inspired by Sunidhi's presence the girls gave a spirited performance with a medley of retro songs …ranging from the hit Helen number Mera naam Chin Chin Chu …to the Mumtaz-Shammi Kapoor hit Aaj kal tere mere pyar ke charche… from Brahmachari to 60's hit Aao twist karen from Bhoot Bangla. Must say they were even dressed for the occasion! The boys couldn't resist joining in the fun and at the end of it simply turned out to be a dance riot on stage with everyone having a blast as Sunidhi belted … Sajna ji vaari vaari jaonji. Catch the Saturday Night fever at 9 p m on Indian Idol on 23 June only on Sony Entertainment Television

The hunting season

It's one of the biggest air-clashes in television history. The three GECs (general entertainment channels) are scything into each others' viewerships on weekend prime-time slots with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge (Zee), Indian Idol (Sony) and Amul Star Voice Of India (Star Plus).
India's youth is getting mammoth platforms to show its stuff, even if the audience is as much hooked by the dramatic elements of every reality show – the triumphs, the tears and the emotional titillation - as to the melody (or lack of it). But the question nags: Is all this going to give us a future Sonu Nigam or Sunidhi Chauhan, and dare we dream of another singer of the calibre of Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar?
Gajendra Singh, the brain behind Amul Star Voice Of India (ASVOI) who incidentally fathered the original Sa Re Ga Ma Pa on Zee in 1995 and also its current avatar Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007, says quite succinctly that the progress of any contestant, winner, finalist or otherwise, depends on his own talent and initiative. He also stresses that a new talent exposed on a show needs time to make it: "Kunal Ganjawala who was first noticed on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa when I was doing the show, took several years to make a mark, but today he's unstoppable."
Singh argues that the talents who come in directly into the profession take the same time or longer, but that his shows present them with a platform. Stating that the viewership ratings of his new show do not match the other two shows only because it is in its first season, Singh insists that ASVOI has a transparency that none of the others have. "All my shows are geared only to promote the cause of music. Unlike the rest, where the audition-process is not shown or is shown just for the entertainment factor, we decided to keep everything transparent. The audience is getting to see why and how they will get the singers who actually graduate to contesting in the show." 
Agreeing with Singh on the progress of individual talent, Ashish Kaul, executive vice-president, Zee Network, scoffs at the transparency element. Says Kaul, "We are not into charity. Every loser has a compassionate story, and we cannot show hurt egos either. Even in a small town like Lucknow, about half a million registered for auditions. If we show even some select ones, we will have to keep the show going round the year!"
Proud that his show is the oldest and pioneering show of its kind, Kaul adds, "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa is the longest-lasting of all such shows on television in the world. Our TRPs have remained unshakeable, and reinvention and innovation have been our mantras and will remain so. We are leading despite minimum publicity solely on merit as a serious show whose sole objective is to choose that one golden-voiced top-quality playback singer."
Kaul points out that so many of today's top singers have been first heard on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and have reached different stages of success. "The list includes Kunal Ganjawala, Shreya Ghoshal and Sunidhi Chauhan and moves on to Vinit, Himani and others. We are proud to say that even today we get calls from producers wanting a new voice in their films – and they do not even want only the finalists," notes Kaul.
In a trenchant dig at Indian Idol and several other shows of the past, Kaul points out, "We are not in the business of promoting and marketing poster-boys and poster-girls and promising them albums. In fact, it is our overall credibility that puts pressure on us because the leader has to stay ahead of its followers!"
However, Albert Almeida, executive vice-president and business head, Sony Entertainment Television, is unfazed by the image of Indian Idol vis-à-vis the competition. "We are in the third season and we know that Zee's show is marginally ahead in TRPs, but the scene in 2007 is different – there's greater fragmentation and the share in the pie has to be smaller."
He adds, "We have no pretensions about being a hunt for the best playback singer. We are looking at a complete package that is chosen by India as its own idol. If he is not the best musically, so be it, for that's how democracy works. But yes, because the public isn't always discerning, we are ironing out some creases in the process so that we do not miss out on a Sachin Tendulkar mid-way by introducing a wildcard round."
Accepting that Indian Idol is into entertaining the audience in the process, be it through the display of those who think that they are singers to the 'heart-wrenching exit of talented singers at different stages', Almeida declares that Indian Idol is still about polishing that uncut diamond among the contestants who has it all.
Denying that past idols Abhijeet Sawant and Sandeep Acharya have not been successful, Almeida reveals that Abhijeet is in heavy demand for shows and commands a price of Rs 10 lakhs. "He is also cutting his second album with Sony-BMG ," says Almeida. "As for Sandeep, maybe we should give him time."
Whatever their intentions, the public obviously cannot have enough of the reality music shows, even if some, like Channel [V] Super Singer, Fame Gurukul and Channel [V] Popstars have not really shaken the TRPs. In short, reality music talent-hunt shows sell. Concludes Almeida, "We have been defined as a nation of a middle-class that is striving to get more out of life – and now we can. Shows like this fill the basic need of those who want a platform to make it big. As for the all-important viewers, they vicariously live out their aspirations for those they care about through the participants."

To the rescue of local talent
With music talent hunt shows popular on mainstream television, it didn't take much time for regional channels to follow suit. In Kannada, programmes like Ede Tumbi Haduvenu, anchored by playback singer S P Balasubramanyam on ETV Kannada became hugely popular, thanks to the emphasis given to genres other than film songs. The programme went on to capture the imagination of Kannadiga audience with its simple format and painstaking research, helping the programme to maintain its quality.
Zee Kannada, which began its innings recently managed to ensnare viewers, mainly the youth, with its Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa. In the recently concluded finals, future engineers Chinmay and Soumyashree emerged winners. 
Udaya TV too has a similar programme. All these shows have more or less tried injecting some originality in their formats. Just as in Indian Idol, winners were offered albums, playback singing and a whole lot of other goodies.
With veterans in the field, including C Ashwath, Ratnamala Prakash, B K Sumitra, composers Hamsalekha, R P Patnaik and others, the quality of these programmes has been excellent to say the least.
These shows have provided the much needed platform for local talent to showcase and even hone their skills. However, music director Hamsalekha feels true talent hardly makes the cut through these programmes. "It is always better to come prepared to take part in such shows. Nervousness and awkwardness spoil the chances. Your training is what will stand you in good stead," he says.
These programmes collaborate with music companies, composers and others to promote the winners.
Take for instance, Chinmay, winner of Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa. He has been promised an album with Ashwini Audio and a chance to sing for composer R P Patnaik, both in Kannada and Telugu. He will also be teaming up with the other winner Sowmyashree, performing in a show organised by the channel to be held in Dharwad soon.
However, in Chinmay's case, all these promises were put on hold as he had to complete his exams. Now, he is taking up on those offers, while training under Ustad Fayaz Khan.
Remains to be seen if these shows will truly be the golden bridge between talent and success.
--B S Srivani

Remote control singing
Who was it who said music is spiritual, the music business is not? The yodhas of Zee TV's 'sangeeth mahayudh' (great war, no less!) would vehemently disagree. It is everyday nirvana for the yodhas of the Rock Gharana or Style Gharana or whatever- gharana lorded over by Himesh Reshammiya (of the cap and "I will make your career" stance). They probably peer into spirituality's very soul in his crinkly eyes. For every time, something akin to passable music comes out of their burning-with-ambition throats, Himesh valiantly stands up and announces, "aap mera next film ka next gaana zaroor gayenge."
Arre bhai, Himesh Reshammiya ka ho tho zaroor hit bhi hoga . That's not said. Implied, of course. And then 'Yalgaar Gharana's guru (as an aside, what on earth is an 'Yalgaar Gharana', somebody please lemme know), Ismail Durbar goes all mushy and sentimental and tells a long tale about how he came with his father to VT station with nothing but music in his heart and how he is now all ready (with claws out) to make stars out of ordinary singers…Himesh, you have competition. By the way, all this happens in the tackiest set I have ever seen on TV with Udit Narayan's son trying desperately to look and act cute with 'mahaguru' Asha Bhonsle. There are some good singers of course (there are no dearth of them in India), but their talent is not as important to the show as the announcements of maha yudh and gurus squabbling over whose gharana is the best…
Cut to Sony's Indian Idol. Here, it is Anu Malik's fiefdom. He is told, I am sure, to behave as badly as he wants to (that's what makes the TRP ratings zoom). He has also been instructed to fight lazily with Javed Akthar once in a while, you know, just to spice things up.  Meanwhile, Udit Narayan smiles. And smiles and smiles. A Cheshire cat if there was one! And insists on mouthing unintentionally funny English sentences (This is a greet pleetform for new singers…) The show has a good assortment of interesting characters that has helped it maintain audience interest. There is a singer-policeman, a cutie-pie called Chang (!), a cry-baby of a girl, a spoilt 16-year-old…all of whom make for very good ratings.
And whew! If you still have the ears for it, at around the same primetime, Star Plus has its own singer-hunt show. There are too many judges to count and the action takes place on an intimidating huge stage. Abhijeet takes over the role of Anu Malik here. He constantly shouts that the Star Plus talent hunt is not about attitude or style or presentation but about pure unadulterated bore..sorry singing. "If you don't know to sing very well, go to other shows," he screams, once in a while, just in case you didn't hear him earlier. Also, the show organisers have decided that a fight between him and Alka Yagnik every second or third episode does do wonders. And poor Shaan, looks on, with that perplexed look plastered on his face.
And I look on too, with one hand on the remote that flits between these three channels. If I see Udit smiling, I shift to his son's show. And If see him acting cute, I come back to Abhijeet's antics. What makes me do all this? Not music, surely? Well, I am yet to discover.

Contestants are over-confident: Abhijeet Sawant

Indian Idol winner Abhijeet Sawant has Moved On. In a surprisingly candid interview with Subhash K Jha he talks about his success, biography Aapka Abhijeet & poor performances on Indian Idol 2. You've had an eventful phase, including a biography. Yes, it does seem a little too much. But the book was planned as a bio-sketch of how I became the first Indian Idol. Usually success stories are visible to the public. Not me. Main achaanak limelight mein aa gaya. Somewhere we felt, why not let people know who Abhijeet Sawant is, what his life and success has been like? The book is largely about my childhood and my experience on the Indian Idol contest. Even if two youngsters are inspired by this Hindi-Marathi-English book I'd be happy. The author Shweta Pradhan had to really pursue me. I had no time to sit down with her. She stole moments with me in the car or hurried moments while I got ready to go home. The book got delayed. How has Indian Idol changed your life? Completely! I used to be common normal boy from a middleclass family in Maharashtra. Suddenly….I admit there're lots of external changes. But I don't want my basic nature and values to change. I'm making a conscious effort to remain unspoilt. Yes, outwardly my hair and clothes have changed. But the entire experience of 'stardom' was a culture shock to me. It was quite an eye-opener. I know one thing… you shouldn't allow success or failure to go your head. You should just continue doing what you are meant to in life and leave the rest to destiny. I've adopted that formula. Do you feel you've a responsibility as a role model for middleclass dreamers? Ek terah se bahut badi responsibility hai. Earlier I had people supporting me in my ambitions. Now there's a new group of people wondering how long I'm going to be where I am today. All I can say to these speculations is…stardom fame and all the other trappings are not taken seriously by me. My aim is to make a name for myself as a playback singer in the next five years. People say you've become arrogant. It's better to ignore such negative talk. I don't allow such talk to hurt me. No one in my family has seen stardom. Suddenly we're under public scrutiny. It's a bit daunting. I'd rather do what I've come to do. I've sung in Aashiq Banaya Aapne and Jawani Diwani. I'm a little busier with my live concerts. I admit it's becoming slightly repetitive. After a while I'd do less stage shows. Is the money the incentive to do stage shows? I can't deny it's a big incentive. But also, the thrill of interacting with audiences is also there. Meeting and performing for people in various cities is my way of repaying them for the success they've given me. It's also good publicity. But in India playback singing is the biggest platform for any aspiring singer. How do you deal with gossip about you? Kabhi kabhi bahut bura lagta hai when misinformation is published. No matter how much I protest against 'news' like the one about my girlfriend, engagement and marriage, people will believe what they want. If you protest too loudly it seems insincere. The journalists are doing their jobs, I'll do mine. How do you deal with fans? I'm lucky to not let the popularity go to my head. When I encounter the more insistent fans I try to give them time, shake their hands, get a picture snapped. I've fans who tell me to change back my hairstyle to the way it used to be…I take their advice seriously. It makes me happy to see them so involved with my career. What do you think of contestants who came after you on Indian Idol 2 & 3? They're very good and confident. When we were on Indian Idol we knew nothing about how to conduct ourselves. We hadn't seen American Idol. We were encouraged by the judges and by the public which voted for our singing. On Indian Idol 2 the public supported everything except the quality of the singing. This is truly unfortunate. Votes were given for clothes and hairstyle. And for contestants belonging to the voter's village. In our times the voting pattern was more sincere and voluminous. Nowadays the number of sincere voters has decreased. People vote for kicks not for merit. Good singers are being voted out. And these singers are to some extent responsible for their plight. Do music contestants seek your advice? The Indian Idol 2 contestants came to my book launch. I advised all of them. I told them they don't seem to be rising to their required potential, though they are capable of excelling. I'm disappointed by their performance. They are focusing on things other than singing. The sincerity and purity is missing in their performances. Sometimes in life when you know the way your eyes shut too quickly. The fact that we on Indian Idol 1 showed them the way has made the subsequent contestants over-confident. They're behaving more like stage performers than singers. I remember I had very long hair during Indian Idol. Someone suggested a conditioner. I didn't even know what that was! We were briefed to focus on our singing rather than clothes and hairstyle. Whatever clothes I was given I'd blindly wear and face the camera. When the undeserving get selected, there's naturally a question mark against the names of candidates from earlier on, like me. I'm really attached to Indian Idol and the contestants. I want them to know I'm there to advise them any time they need me.

Aditya is much ahead of me: Udit Narayan

Proud papa Udit Narayan is happy that his son Aditya is anchoring Zee TV's 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' at this young age. Willing to make a good citizen of his son, Udit gives all his best wishes to Aditya He knows well that there is a tough competition between 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' and 'Indian Idol' on Sony for which Udit is a judge. In a recent tête-à-tête, Udit talks about his son, his career and lots more. Here is the excerpt. Q: On one hand, your son is an anchor in Zee and, on the other hand, you are a judge in Sony? This is indeed a tough competition between a father and son indeed. A: He is quite young now, but seeing people's love for him it feels nice as a father. Many people have told me that he is much better than me and as a father I too think so. But, I think that the competition between us, as an anchor and a judge, is intense. Q: How do you feel when people compare you with your son? A: Like any other father, even I feel proud when people compare me with Aditya. I might be his father, but feel that I am much behind him. At his age, he has learnt a lot and has many other qualities that I did not possess at his age. Q: What advice do you give him as a father? A: I want to make him a responsible citizen and a good human. Thus, I keep reminding him of his roots. I always tell him to respect his elders and teachers. He might have been born to a father who is well known, but he always has to remember that a good character and ethics help in building a good personality, which in turn leads to the progress of a person. Q: Are you happy that he has chosen to anchor 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa'? A: Aditya always likes the show, but he once told me that it would be too early for him to anchor such a show. However, when the offer came to him, he had a talk with me and then decided to anchor the show. Currently, he is in the second year at Mithibai College and is yet to complete his graduation. I'm happy that people like him as an anchor. Q: What advice do you give him as a singer? A: I have already told you that he is much ahead of me in some matters. So I do not have to give him any advice as a singer. Q: A great singer like Asha Bhosle is giving him singing tips. What do you have to say for that? A: The goddess herself is showering her blessing on Aditya. What else can I ask for? Since childhood I have seen a habit of research in him and now with the blessings of Ashaji, I'm confident that he will be able achieve whatever he wishes for. Q: Aditya has done a diploma in English contemporary music? How much will it be of a help to him? A: Since childhood, I have seen an urge in him to become a good singer. He has learnt Indian classical music and to do well in the international market, he has also learnt English contemporary music. Today is a time for a versatile singer to have his hold on all kinds of music. Thus, I'm confidant that the course, which he has done, will be of great help to him in his career. Q: You had once sung a song 'Papa Kehte Hain'. Do you feel that Aditya is doing the needful on your behalf? A: (Laughs) I think it is pure co-incidence. Aditya was born in August 1987 and it was on the same time that this song sung by me had become a hit. I had never imagined in my life that my son would make this song a reality for me. - Rajnee Gupta

Indian Idol 3 - Second Theater Round

The second theater round started with a recap of the previous episode, where 123 finalists were reduced to 66. In this episode, we begin seeing the first of the Top 28. Fun times!

Contestants were interviewed about how they felt. While some people were okay, the show, obviously, focused on those that weren't. They had the opportunity to practice with their partners and music. The judges commented about how it is hard to sing duets and how each person has to be in tune with their partners.

Enter hosts Hussein and Mini, who shed a spotlight on two ladies who were not getting along. Shikha was upset because Shehnaz didn't remember the lyrics and wasn't practicing properly. Richa Aneja and Prashant Tamang were still having problems and Richa was shown crying.

Other contestants were shown praising their partners, while still unsure about how they themselves would do. Rehan Khan was telling his partner Rekha Purana that he might not make it but she definitely will. Rekha was worried she would have to go back to London!

Two people who did get along were Emon Chatterjee and his partner Shifa Ansari. Emon was worried that he wouldn't get in but Shifa would. Her response? Without practicing, neither one of us will get in! They were really cute and mad props to Emon for being so awesome! Shifa had apparently taught him some dance steps and he had added pressure because he said she's also a better dancer! So sweet! Okay, I'm done gushing about this guy. Really. Moving on. (By the way, they both got in there and impressed the judges. Alisha was ready to party herself! Yay!)

Cut to clips of people practicing in every spare inch of space -- behind furniture, in the bathrooms (anyone see Parleen Gill practicing in front of the mirror?) Maibam from Assam was also practicing in the bathroom. Cut to his performance, which he did with two other people. He wasn't that impressive, but his partners, Mayank Rao from Delhi and Nilakshi Bhattacharya from Kolkata were. They lost their tempo in the middle and the judges commented on that. When these three left the room, they had no idea of how they did. The judges gave them mixed reactions. But they had to wait, like everyone else.

Suhit Gosain and his partner Charu were up next and they went in complimenting each other and came out with Suhit spitting fire. So in a nutshell, this is what appears to have happened. Suhit says Charu put the entire blame on his shoulders in front of the judges because they messed up. Charu says that it was Suhit's fault. Talk about a friendly working relationship going awry! Okay, I'm going in indulge dear Sprout here. What the crap was Suhit thinking?! First of all, that is no way to talk to a girl. Second of all, he definitely should not be doing that on television. And third, what a potty mouth!! I mean, okay, I'm sure he was upset about something. But seriously, he can't just say whatever when he knows the cameras are looking for that stuff. And Charu. Really? Did she really blame him? Grow up people. And on top of that, the judges also gave them a tongue-lashing. They were not impressed. What a mess!

Then came the trio of Akshama, Jiniya, and Abhishek. The girls were okay, but were slightly nervous because Abhishek couldn't remember the words and had written them on his hands. They were okay, but nothing too impressive. At this point in the show, I was pretty much done and bored. The judges thought that they could have done much better than they did.

Then they showed an older pair -- Shashwat and Nandita. Shashwat was familiar with the song, but Nandita wasn't. This is telling because it's a popular song from a popular movie and she had never heard of it. Her partner commented on that as well. But they both handled each other like adults and all seemed fine until they got inside and Shashwat forgot some words so he yelled stop. At this point, Annu Malek told him that they were done and that the contestants don't get to decide when to stop. He told them they would not get another chance. The other judges argued that because of him, Nandita might lose her chance, but Mr. * was not willing to budge. There are some people that I just want to punch in the face. He's second on my list after Heinous. He was basically being a first-rate jerk. Shashwat fainted and had to be carried out of the room. Poor Nandita was trying to help him and make sure he was okay. But they did not let them perform again.

Like a breath of fresh air came the next two contestants, Meiyang Chang and Aisha Sayed, who sang beautifully. Okay, here I have to make a correction. His last name is Meiyang and his first name is Chang apparently. Chang said a beautiful couplet and went in there to kick some butt. The judges thought they were the best so far. Judge Jerk then asked him if he was really Chinese and he replied that he's Indian. His forefathers were Chinese. Judge Jerk then pointed out the obvious -- that music is universal and has no language. Duh Mr. Obvious!

Then more clips of Prashant being nice to Richa and her being a jerk back. They then tried out. Richa tried to show off and the judges called her on it. She was all cute about it, but it doesn't work for me so whatever. Moving on.

Our gal Ankita Mishra who started off cute during auditions but lost the title by the time she had finished was finally shown. Shikha and Shehnaz went through their performance, as did Shantanu Sudome and Sreeju Premarajan.

Then came time for decisions! The judges were arguing and discussing with pictures of the competitors in front of them. Okay, I'm just going to go down the list of who has made it so far (that I was able to catch) and who hasn't.

Starting with those who are out: (You know I like to get the negatives over with!)
Jiniya (I was really sad about this one!)
Shikha
Shehnaz
Maibam

And those who are in:
Abhishek
Akshama
Emon (yay!)
Shifa (yay again! she was cute!)
Suhit (really? it's cause he's popular, not cause he can sing)
Charu
Shashwat
Nandita (bless her heart)
Richa (yep)
Prashant
Nilakshi
Mayank

All in all, pretty predictable! I'm anxious to see the rest of the contestants who made it, including Maya and Uma. More on that from Sprout!

Indian Idol 3 to begin with piano rounds

MUMBAI: Indian Idol 3 has now stepped into the Piano Round whcih will see 28 contestants chosen by the judges performing to get through the top ten.

Beginning 1 June to 9 June, it will be 9 nights live of singing on Sony television wherein the contestants will perform live in the prime time and the other prime time soaps like Ek Ladki Anjani Si, Virrudh, Durgesh Nandini will take a hiatus for a week and will be back from 11 June with new storylines, highpoints and drama.

The viewers will now get a chance to vote for their favourite contestant. Voting lines will open from 9.00 pm on 1 June and close at 8.00 am on 2 June and so on for each episode.

In the Piano Round 14 girls and 14 boys will perform on alternate days, and each day will see contestants with the lowest votes leave the show, giving the country Indian Idol's top 10 finalists.

One of the Judges of Indian Idol 3 Udit Narayan said, "We have got some really talented and confident contestants from across the country and even overseas this time. Now the mammoth task is to chisel diamonds out of carbon. We have done our bit and we have now put the mantle on the audiences. I am sure they will make the right decision in choosing their 'Bharat ki Shaan'.

Speaking on the announcement of the 28 finalists, Sony Entertainment Television executive vice president and business head Albert Almeida,said, "In the third season of Indian Idol, we have set out on a journey to search for that one voice which will truly live up to the proposition of Indian Idol, 'Bharat Ki Shaan'. Our judges have been diligent and have fulfilled their responsibility of bringing the best potential candidates on to your television screens until the Piano Round. While they will continue to voice their opinions, the ultimate decision will rest with the viewers who will cast their precious votes. With voting lines being open, we are sure the world's largest democracy will tune-in and call in large numbers to pick their next Indian Idol."

Great singing, great bonding Indian idol

Great singing, great bonding Indian idol

MUMBAI: After the entertaining and heartwarming audition episodes of the third season of Indian Idol, the Theatre Round began with 123 participants who were selected from nearly 25,000 who auditioned from all over India and overseas. The journey of these 123 excited youngsters (some of whom are visiting Mumbai for the first time) began with the Theatre Round in last week's episode held at the prestigious NCPA theatre. The task of short-listing the 123 contestants to 66 (in round one, held on May 19 th) was tough. Normally the number is 60, but because of the excellent talent this year, the number has been increased to 66! This Friday, the episode (25th May, 2007) will showcase great singing, some fresh talent and the viewers will get to see bonding and friendship that makes Indian Idol so special to all. As we move on to the next level in the theatre round the competition only gets tougher! The contestants will be divided into groups of twos and threes and synchronisation with each other and the musicians will be their real test. This will be an acid test for the contestants as most of them will be performing with the musicians for the first time. As the 66 participants prepare for the duet round the air is filled with emotion and suspense, anxiety and fear. While all the participants have found their comfort zone to practice their duet, there are a few others who cannot find the right nook to practice. Some interesting moments from the episode… Hum saath saath nahi gayenge…? Richa from Amritsar and her partner, the cool cop from Kolkata, Prashant, have a major showdown. Richa first refuses to practice in her room (as her roommate is already there), then she point blank refuses to go to Prashant's room (as she says she won't go to other people's rooms!) and finally when they compromise and reach Prashant's room, she decides to practice with Prashant's roommate and not Prashant! Tough times ahead for Richa and Prashant. Will the two actually sing together in the duet round? Time waits for no man or woman… Once again Uma from Delhi (in the 1st Theatre Round she was late due to her exams) and Maya from Chennai (she said it was not her fault!) are late. Even after being late and almost out of the show in the first Theatre Round they are late once again. What would be the reason this time? Have they not learnt their lesson? In spite of judge Annu telling them that this is serious and they must not be late again…they have done it again. Will the two make headway this time around? Is participant ko gussa kyun aata hai? Suhit Gosain from Bhopal and Charu Semwal from Delhi is one of the singing jodis for the 2nd Theatre Round . While they bonded brilliantly and practiced the song in perfect rhythm back stage, on stage, the nervous Charu simply forgot her lines. Suhit tried his best and failed…but once they were out of the theatre an angry and disappointed Suhit blamed Charu for the lost opportunity. The episode got ugly when Suhit started raising his voice. They signed a peace treaty only after anchor-cum-friend Mini intervened and cooled down the two. We know you are here to win, but remember losers are also winners, in their own right! You both have made it to the top 123 and that it is a big win. What say? Singing can make your knees go weak …Saswata Bhattacharjee from Kolkata was all excited to be in Mumbai for the Theatre Round. A professional singer he came to conquer his dreams in the 'city of dreams'. Unfortunately while he was singing, before the judges, he forgot his lines. It is only human, but the goof up shattered Saswata and the youngster fainted on the stage. Exhaustion, excitement or disappointment…it was not Saswata's day. Don't lose heart there's always another chance! Jodi hamari… Meiyang Chang from Kolkata and Aisha Sayed from Mumbai came, sang and conquered the judges!. They made for one of the most popular singing pair of this season. Also, very popular and an instant hit with the judges were Harshida from London and her partner Padmanav from Delhi. They were so perfect with their rhythm, in sync with each other while singing and were voted the 'cutest jodi of Indian Idol'. Watch the 2nd Theatre Round on Friday 25th May at 9.00 p.m. for some great singing and some tearful heartbreaks. The stage gets tough and judging tougher. Stay tuned to Sony Entertainment Television for moments that you will cherish forever. Stay tuned to Indian Idol every Friday and Saturday at 9.00 p.m. only on Sony Entertainment Television.

Indian Idol 3 Caravan hits Mumbai

After traveling across 11 cities in Mumbai for talent auditions, the Indian Idol caravan or canter has now come into Mumbai. The talent hunt series adapted from the 'Pop Idol' format is now in its third season and will be telecast on Television from May. While the series increased its ambit of audition cities, the show will also be holding its first ever international auditions in Dubai. The lines for UAE have been opened on 19 March and will close on 4 April. The international auditions are for non resident Indians only. The show has retained Anu Maliik on the jury while singer Udit Narayan, Alisha Chinai and lyricist Javed Akhtar will join him. Speaking about the show Sony Entertainment Television Executive Vice President and Business Head Albert Almeida said, "As witnessed in the last two seasons of Indian Idol the third season too promises to take viewer engagement and interactivity to even greater heights while catapulting the Indian Idol into ultimate stardom." He also added that since last year many viewers were disappointed by the ouster of talented singers, this year the format will include a wild card entry which the jury will hand out to a deserving singer who has been voted out. The reality series has been a successful one for SET and in addition to a recording contract with Sony BMG, the 'Indian Idol' this year will be awarded a contract with the channel worth rupees one crore

INDIAN IN AMERICAN IDOL

Sanjaya Malakar, an Indian American, is making news for his surprising and unexpected success in the reality music contest American Idol.

But the 17-year-old's dream journey to become the next American Idol hasn't been easy.

He was initially branded one of the worst contestants in the reality show and received a lot of negative feedback from the judges.

Many consider him a rank outsider and things weren't looking up until he was picked as one of the 12 finalists by a public vote.

Now, he's made it through two more rounds and will be one of the 10 contestants entitled to perform as part of the show's national Idol Tour.

Even the judges of the show are all praises for him now.

"You came out of the show tonight. This has been your best performance so far," American Idol judge, Randy Jackson said on Sanjaya's performance.

But some others like acid-tongued judge Simon Cowell aren't happy. Cowell has even threatened to resign if Sanjaya wins the reality show.

Several conspiracy theories are already doing the rounds over Sanjaya's success. Many believe he has come this far due to the Indian community's support while others say a popular American Idol fan site is generating support for him.

Whatever the reason, this 17-year-old seems to be going places and has already made a mark for himself in the music circuit.

INDIAN IDOL IN DELHI

"Indian Idol", an adaptation of the foreign blockbuster "Pop Idol", will soon appear in its new avatar on Sony Entertainment Television (SET) to continue its bond with viewers and give participants a chance to earn stardom and fortune.
To present the best singing talent from across the country in the most entertaining and engaging manner, the Indian Idol caravan will go to a dozen cities and organise auditions for budding singers.
Besides accomplished composer Anu Malik, the other judges of Indian Idol will be melody king Udit Narayan and "Kajra Re" singer Alisha Chinai. All of them are now here in Delhi for auditions that will be held in different parts of the city this Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
With the competition among emerging singers being intense, only a few will be able at the end of it all to make it to Bollywood. But Anu Malik disagrees. At a press conference here on Thursday, Anu said: "I will only say the more the merrier. Bollywood already has established singers but that doesn't mean that those who are blessed with a golden voice should not try their luck. When I started as a composer there were only five in my field. Now there are so many. Who knew Rahul Vaidya or Sandeep Acharya before Indian Idol?" Anu said he was looking for singers who can sing both classical as well as hip-hop. "I am aware that there is tremendous talent in our country. And I am going to tap it along with the other judges," he added.
Refuting suggestions that there cannot be consensus on any singer among the judges, Anu said: "Ultimately all three of us are looking for the best singers. We are not here to fight and don't hold grudges against anyone." In addition to a recording contract with Sony BMG, the winner of Indian Idol will walk home with a contract with Sony Entertainment Television worth Rs. 1 crore.

INDIAN IDOL 3 Countdown

Indian Idol the hugely popular adaptation of the blockbuster 'Pop Idol' format took the nation by storm in its very first season and followed that with an equally popular season 2.
While Indian Idol served as the intimate platform for budding singers from across the nation to realize their dreams, the show went on to become the most entertaining and involving show to hit Indian television. In keeping with its philosophy of offering innovative and distinct content, Sony Entertainment Television, is now all set to launch the third series of this groundbreaking phenomenon, Indian Idol with an even bigger bang!
Indian Idol is a 'made-for-television phenomenon' that combines drama and reality with music, humor, thrill and glamour. The last two seasons of the show experienced a collage of emotions, raising levels of viewer frenzy and excitement coupled with the contestants' tears and joys, heartbreak and jubilation, learnings and achievements. With its immense popularity, Indian Idol showcases exceptional talent on the nation's biggest platform. The phenomenon of following this journey and ultimately picking that 'Ek Awaaz Jispar Ho Desh Ko Naaz' becomes an integral part of the viewers' lives drawing ardent support and a voting frenzy.
This year too Indian Idol will give the people of this nation the opportunity to chase their dreams and the power to make one talented aspirant ' Bharat Ki Shaan'. In addition to a recording contract with Sony BMG, the 'Indian Idol' will be awarded a contract with Sony Entertainment Television worth Rupees One Crore, thus catapulting him/her to unparalleled stardom, fame and fortune.
Highlighting the essence of this worldwide phenomenon, geared to hit India once more, Albert Almeida, Executive Vice President & Business Head, Sony Entertainment Television, said, "As witnessed in the last two seasons of Indian Idol the third season too promises to take viewer engagement and interactivity to even greater heights while catapulting the Indian Idol into ultimate stardom. This year too, the channel will give talented singers from across the nation the platform to realize their dreams and put fame and fortune within their reach while offering distinctive, breakthrough entertainment. Indian Idol will showcase the best singing talent from across the nation via a 12-city audition. The journey of finding Bharat Ki Shaan—Indian Idol 3 will enthrall the Indian audiences and help them connect, leading to extreme involvement and mass frenzy."
This time around, the show promises to bring to the viewers the best singing talent from across the country. To make this possible auditions will be held across the country in 12 cities— Jodhpur – Bhubaneshwar (Feb 15th), Hyderabad- Amritsar (Feb 18th), Srinagar- Nagpur (Feb 21st), Baroda (Feb 27th & 28th), Bhopal (March 7th & 8th), Kanpur (March 12th & 13th), Delhi (March 17th, 18th & 19th), Kolkata (March 24th, 25th & 26th), Mumbai (March 31st , 1st & 2nd April)
To make participation universal and allow for easy registration the channel has set up multiple gateways. Budding aspirants between the ages of 16-30 can realize their dreams by calling to register for a place in any of the above audition centers. The following are the no.s for registration:
SMS Idol to 2525
call 5052525 and say Idol (available only on select networks)
Dial 1255525 (BSNL landline & mobile users which is applicable to all cities)
Lines open from February 10th.

INSTANT STARS

Abhijeet Sawant
The Indian Idol winner was propelled to instant star status and was suddenly seen all over TV, performing live and promoting his debut album, Aapka Abhijeet Sawant. The fanfare may have faded, but Abhijeet continues to work the circuit, performing live concerts around the country.
Debojit Saha
With apparently all of North-East voting for him, Debojit of Assam beat Vineet of Lucknow in the closely fought finale of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2005. He’s currently singing for some films under production and launched a missable debut alum under the aegis of Zee TV.
Divakar
This 13-year-old Delhi boy may not have won the final of Li’l Champs, but he sure won the hearts of the audience and the judges. The favourite amongst the three finalists, his head turned upto the sky, “he sang to the Gods”, as the judges put it. Whether, his spot of luck continues, remains to be seen.
Qazi and Ruprekha
This pair of the frizzy haired boy from Srinagar and the sweet-voiced girl from Kolkata won Sony’s Fame Gurukul 2005. Their debut album was titled Jodi No 1, but this jodi, that sent an SMS flutter across the country, soon faded into oblivion.

Ravinder Ravi, Singer
It took more than a month to get Ravinder Ravi, in between cutting his new album and a concert tour of Punjab, to take out time for this interview. The housepainter from Punjab who reached the top five of the first Indian Idol is perhaps the only contestant to have sustained buzz around himself.
The online encyclopedia, Wikipedia lists him as one of the most successful Indian Idols, with the maximum musical performances in India and abroad. Ravi seems surprised at this, “I had no idea.”
Dressed in a sweater and corduroy pants, he poses like a natural for the photo shoot. “Before Indian Idol , I had never got my photograph taken. I was stiff and uncomfortable in front of the camera. Now, I’m surprised to see my photos, and how stylish I look,” he smiles, before breaking into a Punjabi folk song in his startlingly high-pitched voice. A voice that makes you stop in your tracks and listen. “The voice of God,” as the judges on Indian Idol called it before they began trashing him.
In 2005, riding the crest of the instant fame that came after the show, Ravi, underwent a drastic transformation. The man who rode a bicycle, paintbrush in hand, for Rs 60 as his dailywages, was seen in leather jackets and denims, gifted a car to his wife andstarted travelling around the country. He is now mobbed by crowds in towns like Jalandhar, Mandi and Indore. His house in Ludhiana is almost a tourist destination.
“I have seen extreme poverty. There were days when I would sleep without eating. I had to borrow Rs 300 from a friend to reach the auditions of Indian Idol in Delhi. How can I ever forget my origins?” he says. “I never hide my roots. My thinking is the same. Just that I have graduated from a cycle to a plane.”
Ravi is almost the precursor of reality TV drama, tugging at the heartstrings of the nation with his gritty perseverance, despite his “dubious” talent. Just before his elimination, the judges, Anu Malik, Sonu Nigam and Farah Khan made it amply clear that they didn’t think he deserved to stay on. Yet, week after week, the people voted for him.
At the time, Ravi went on record to express his discontent with the channel, the show, and the judges. “I did feel then that they were being unfair and at some level I was being victimised because of my background and looks. But in retrospect, I can see that I had my shortcomings. The other contestants were trained, I was self-taught,” he concedes. “I’ve learnt a lot since those early days. If I were to participate now, I’m sure I would win.”
Yet, luck played a huge part in his success. He says, “There are crores of Ravinder Ravis with more talent languishing in every corner of this country and most do not get a chance.” He adds: “I’m all for more and more talent hunt shows like Indian Idol and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. They give people like me a fair chance.”
Where are they now?
Shahzad Kalim
The winner of Lakme Fashion House 2005, he leapfrogged from Patna to Milan by winning an internship with Donatella Versace. However, after the much-touted internship and a debut at the Fashion Week, he’s as much as gone with the wind.

RAVINDER RAVI NEW ALBUM

People remember Ravinder Ravi as one of the top ten finalists in the Indian Idol contest on Sony Entertainment channel. This self-taught natural acquired quite a fan following and they were greatly disappointed when he lost out because he had no proper training on handling the notes.
But his raw energy and earthy tones won him the attention of connoisseurs of popular music and one of them was Jawahar Wattal, the man who had shot Daler Mehndi into fame with Bol Ta ra ra…
Wednesday evening Ravi’s maiden album was released in the Capital by film actor Pooja Bhatt, who is all set to give this people’s singer a chance to playback in her next feature film. So soon Punjab is all over are going to be tapping their feet and jigging to the tune of Jat Lutya Gaya, the title song of the new album.
The new album comes from a new company called Arjun Music World, founded by Rajbir Singh who will be collaborating with Pooja Bhatt for the feature film that will give ‘Ravi’ a ‘Rafi’ break.
The self effacing young man of 27, who took his life’s biggest risk by relinquishing his profession of masonry, wife and two children and try his luck in the talent hunt show announced on SET, is still haunted by his days when ill luck followed him through his formative years in Ludhiana.
“My parents passed away when I was only four years old and my brother, who is a couple of years older and I were left to fend for ourselves,” he says, “Actually it was my brother who wanted to sing. When both of us wanted to try our luck, he being the older one, perhaps, withdrew from the contest and encouraged me to compete.”
Punjabi pop must be accompanied by pretty girls and the USP of the video accompanying the new album is a buxom beauty. She is former Miss Norway, Annelfna, who has a young model Aman Dhaliwal giving her the typical filmi chase as the heart of the Jat is plundered by this Norwegian beauty.
The video is not shot in the cold Norway but the warm Barcelona in Spain with male Bhangra dancers and female flamenco dancers. Punjabi pop is a global phenomenon and thus the ingredients are a merry mix

VISNU IDOL IN RUSSIA

Ancient Vishnu idol found in Russian village

An ancient Vishnu idol has been found during excavation in an old village in Russia’s Volga region, raising questions about the prevalent view on the origin of ancient Russia, say the reports.

The idol found in Staraya (old) Maina village dates back to VII-X century AD. Staraya Maina village in Ulyanovsk region was a highly populated city 1700 years ago, much older than Kiev, so far believed to be the mother of all Russian cities.

“We may consider it incredible, but we have ground to assert that Middle-Volga region was the original land of Ancient Rus. This is a hypothesis, but a hypothesis, which requires thorough research,” Reader of Ulyanovsk State University’s archaeology department Dr Alexander Kozhevin told state-run television Vesti .

Dr Kozhevin, who has been conducting excavation in Staraya Maina for last seven years, said that every single square metre of the surroundings of the ancient town situated on the banks of Samara, a tributary of Volga, is studded with antiques.

Prior to unearthing of the Vishnu idol, Dr Kozhevin has already found ancient coins, pendants, rings and fragments of weapons.

He believes that today’s Staraya Maina, a town of eight thousand, was ten times more populated in the ancient times. It is from here that people started moving to the Don and Dneiper rivers around the time ancient Russy built the city of Kiev, now the capital of Ukraine.

An international conference is being organised later this year to study the legacy of the ancient village, which can radically change the history of ancient Russia.