KAJOL ON INDIAN IDOL

Kajol on Indian Idol II finals

Indian Idol II has definitely caught the fancy of the nation. All eyes are on who the next idol will be.

The show has also been a big hit because of all the celebrity judges that it features. For the final round of the show, the producers have roped in Kajol as the guest judge. The grand finale will be held on April 18 in which the two finalists Karunya and Sandeep will compete against each other. The voting for the two began on April 10 at 9:00 pm, after the gala round. It will go on till 9:40 pm on April 18. The winner of the coveted title will get a reward of Rs.1 crore, a contract with Sony-BMG and also a Maruti Baleno car.

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Stars like Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor, Will Smith, Fardeen Khan, Viveik Oberoi and Shahid Kapoor have all made special appearances on the show. And with Kajol for the finals, we think the producers saved the best for the last!

Two much

Despite intense competition and alleged favouritism, the two Idol hopefuls have got their act together

Namrata Sharma

IT’S light, camera and final action for the Indian Idol 2 finalists — Sandeep Acharya and the judges’ favourite N C Karunya. After six gruelling months, the stage is set, the crown is out and the battle between north and south India (Acharya is from Bikaner while Karunya is from Hyderabad) is all set to begin. We are at City Studio, Kamala Mills, in Lower Parel where the final episode is being shot and Suneil Shetty has been invited as the celebrity guest. The audience, too, is geared with slogans, pictures of their idol, loud cheers, and dhol beats for the denouement of this musical reality show. Karunya is dressed in a yellow tee, blue denims and a green corduroy jacket, and is shuffling between make-up and hairstyling. ‘‘I have planned nothing special for the finale,’’ he says, making nothing of his 24-hour practice sessions. ‘‘Although I have put in quite an effort for my choreography and performance, the emphasis is on singing with maximum emotion.’’ Acharya is more candid about his preps. ‘‘I practice for about two hours a day and I focus on my voice primarily.’’ So is competition giving them sleepless nights? ‘‘No, it’s healthy and only encourages me to give my best,’’ says Acharya. Karunya is all praise for his competition. ‘‘Sandeep has a charming smile and a sweet voice,’’ he says. Karunya also has Andhra Pradesh bigwigs backing him. ‘‘We went to Hyderabad recently and the response was overwhelming. I met the chief minister, the mayor and actor Nagarjuna, and they all helped me in voting pleas.’’ The show has had its share of controversies and criticism. ‘‘Although it can be said that I am the judges’ favourite, I have constantly been among the bottom three in garnering votes. So, even if we say that favouritism does exist, I don’t think it affects the competition,’’ states Karunya. But Abhijeet Sawant has been idle after becoming the first Indian Idol. Does that deter their drive? ‘‘Good talent will always be rewarded and Abhijit will do great,’’ says Acharya. Karunya is oblivious. ‘‘I was down south and really didn’t keep a tab on such things.’’ But the competition has got them a new bunch of pals. Karunya promises to keep in touch with all 11 competitors . ‘‘I have their numbers and they call me regularly.’’ Highlights Sandeep Quirk Keeps a small idol of goddess Saraswati in his pocket. Fanfare A young girl from Lucknow printed his name 1,000 times on a T-shirt Worst and Best Went off-key while singing O Mitwa. The best was Sonu Nigam complimenting his voice, saying it was the best Celeb Call Fardeen Khan saying, ‘‘You rocked man!’’ Top 3 Idol women Yasha-shree, Meenal and Antara Karunya Quirk Keeps an Om locket in his pocket and prays to goddess Kalki Fanfare A mother-daughter duo in Delhi jumped the barricades to see him Worst and Best Had sung Chak de, which is not a performance number. The best was when Sonu Nigam stood up and applauded Celeb Call When Dia Mirza said, ‘‘If you don’t win, I’ll stop believing in Indian Idol’’ Top 3 Idol women Monali, Meenal and Antara