Remotely India's Idol

I remember the days five years back when the first season of Indian Idol was launched. It was before the avalanche of reality shows struck the television industry. Everybody was very excited and impressive to see the new format of talent hunt in which the people from normal background were directly thrown into the limelight of popularity. The high profile judges like Sonu Nigam and Anu Malik from the industry, along with Farah Khan (remotely related to singing) where given the job to search for the voice of the nation. Abhijeet Sawant was the winner. Even he deserved the victory and everybody especially the young generation was quite attached to Indian Idol seeing the fact that Indian Idol can provide them the platform to showcase their talent in better way and in faster means. Next year came with lots of reality singer hunts like fame gurukul and others. Suddenly, one day I came to know that a boy from Rajasthan became the second indian idol. I couldn't follow the second season of the show n the crowd of so many others.

The only thing that was popular later about Indian Idol was their auditions as it consists of good singers as well as the really bad one's. The advrtising people always portrayed the auditions keeping the bad singers on front as if it were the comedy show. Now as I write this post, the fifth season of Indian Idol is going on with two new legends in music industry along with the one and only Anu Malik. But as I followed the show, I realised that rather than singing many other aspects which can provide good TRP values were focused adamantly. The audition episodes mostly consists of the non singing fellas whose primary motive was to go in the audition and do something weird so that their footage will definately be aired. And what's wrong in their thinking? They were publicized quite regularly. On the contrary, the good singers who did serious singign in the auditions were not at all filmed because the advertising team knew that they possess low TRP values. Also, the Abhijeet Sawant, the first Indian Idol, was just co anchoring the show. What should the aspirants now think?eIs this what I havew to do after becoming an Indian Idol? Anchoring? I am not saying, like Abhijeet Sawant is bad singer or anything like that still it portrays different meanings.

The quality singers are absent on Indian Idol stage and they use different stratagies to uplift the TRP, for instant, the fake battles between the judges, Anu Malik being constantly one of the opponent. I just like to say that public is smart, stop fooling them by making such stunts. If you are showing the singer hunt, show us some serious singing. Otherwise the next Indian Idol will remotely be India's Idol.

Cricket Culture Changing Drastically

Three years ago, when IPL was just launched, as everybody said it was a perfect blend of entertainment and cricket, initially, it was proved to be quite right, but as 2nd and 3rd seasons came up, the feeling occupied my mind slowly and gradually that something is going really wrong.

Let the entertainment be the part of the show, not the heart. When I was watching the finale, this doubt of mine was confirmed as rock. There was less of cricket and more of advertising, cheerleading and other non-cricketory stuff, for instant, the cameramen were quite busy in searching the celebrity personnels present in the crowds. After each good or bad shot, the focus was to grab the reaction of the respective owner than the players themselves. At one point, it felt to me as if I am watching the match in breaks between advertisements. There was a streamline of thinking in which people opposed the whole concept of IPL as Owners buying the players, buying their talents making them like the puppets. I do not completely agree with this mindset, because in the goblisation and privatization we can not think in this way. But I really felt sorry for the players as their dresses are nothing but the advertising notice board. Everywhere there was a logo of this or that endorsements. One of my friends rehetorically said, "after so much crowding on the T-shirt, why have they kept the plants plain?", "Wait, you'll see that in the next IPL", I sighed.

What was the basic idea of introducing IPL? Wasn't that to enhance the cricketing skills of our players and keep them in good form? But the recent world cup super 8 match against australia didn't show any of that? BCCI really needs some self talk otherwise I guess this deterioration would acclerate in season 4.

Best luck team India