Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
The great Indian TALENT HUNT
|
The search for the Indian idol is finally coming to an end
|
Eyeing the jackpot: the 11 finalists of Indian Idol
AS YOU step into the bright and shining hi-tech sets of Indian Idol at Famous Studio in Mumbai's Mahalakshmi, you find yourself thrown a bit. Cameras, mikes, reams of wires and headphones flying. Light testing... mike testing... .dress checking...
Plus friends, relatives and total strangers to the 11 final contestants taking the stage in the Gala Round of Sony TV's high-profile talent hunt show, Indian Idol. AnchorSandeep Chonkar already on the job. With a mike in full blast, he asks questions like "So, can anyone here tell me what is the surname of Amitabh Bachchan?" "Can you sing a Kishore Kumar song please?" "How long can you keep saying without stopping, `yellow colour-green colour-yellow colour'... ." "Is there any girl here wearing more than five rings on one hand?" In between, he challenges the younger crowd as to how loud they can clap and cheer.
Captive audience
You're not allowed to drink water inside the studio, and forget about the restroom. No cellphones, no talking. A completely captive audience! This includes mediapersons who've turned up from Indore, Nagpur, Kolkata, Bangalore, Delhi and of course, Mumbai. They also don't have a clue about their temporary incarceration
In walk show anchors Aman Varma and Mini Mathur in designer outfits and layers of make-up. Then follow the three high-profile judges — Sonu Nigam, Farah Khan, and Anu Malik. One after another, the contestants take the stage. Sing a verse from a popular song of their choice with music and dance steps. All trying to impress the judges in front. The audience swaying here, raising the handed-out placards there.
As the cameras roll, begin the comments of the judges, starting with Farah. "Fantastic!", "Outstanding!", "Good performance," "Wonderful!" "Tumhe maine pehle bhi bataya hai... ", "Tum hamesha se mere favourite rahe ho... "
Mechanically so, and as instructed by the producers to follow the format of the original American Idol where you are close to being nasty to the contestants, Anu Malik too is staid and cynical, commenting: "Tujh mein woh baat nahin hai", "Tu ne aaj itna kharab kyon gaaya?" "Tujhe pata hai tere paas sur nahin hai... "
Anu vs. Sonu
And, the person always to contradict Anu is Sonu. If not repeating "fantastic" and "outstanding", he is trying to think beyond Anu, but often failing. The first break happens, the second, and then the last during which Sonu, mirror in hand, takes expert comments from the make-up man on how to keep his mane in place.
Aman and Mini ask the participants: "So, how do you feel?"
A point of credit though, should go to the judges. Those selected are good, especially Amit Sana, Prajakta Shukre and Abhishek Sawant.
Finally, Mini and Aman assemble all the participants for the last shot to announce that the results would be declared in the next episode. You're relieved and ready to flee.
SANGEETA BAROOAH PISHAROTY
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
