I was shocked when Ghar Aaja Pardesi was pulled off air: Producer Gajendra Singh

The King of singing reality shows, Gajendra Singh, owner at Sai Baba Telefilms, who has given us popular shows like Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Antakshari and STAR Voice Of India, took a break for a couple of months from reality TV. The reason! He was working on a fiction project titled Ghar Aaja Pardesi for Sahara One post his reality series on the channel, Sur Kshetra. But his fiction dreams came down crashing when the channel Sahara One decided to pull the show off air all of a sudden. Now, Singh has got back into doing a dance reality show for DD titled Bharat Ki Shaan-Rum Jhum. We at Tellychakkar.com got in touch with the producer to know about his journey so far. Your last reality show Sur Kshetra failed to garner numbers? Sur Kshetra was a hit worldwide as well as in India. As it happens to be our show, we are proud of it. This was just the first season; we are looking at many more. When and how did Rum Jhum happen? When DD gave me the opportunity of presenting a dance show with Indian (classical dance forms) and non-Indian (western) dance forms, I just grabbed the opportunity. I was extremely excited about the project majorly because I am connected with Indian music and dance and other activities of India. Moreover, I want everything in India to go on the international platform. Will Western dance be looked down on this show? I don’t think that would happen as we have two judges (Sandeep Mahavir and Sandip Soparkar). When art is being showcased, no one can suppress it. You can give a biased opinion, but the audiences know exactly what it wants. Your daughter Shweta Singh too has joined your production company? She has been working with me for the last six months. I feel youngsters are more evolved now; they are more clear and focused and I am more than happy to have my daughter by my side. You have roped in a new face Sandeep Mahavir as one of the judges… I have worked with Mahavir for five years and he has even choreographed for me. I feel there is always a first time. When I had come from a small village, someone gave me a chance. I did not know how to present myself then, but that someone believed in me and supported me. That is why I have a lot of newcomers in my production team. Since, someone trusted me once upon a time, I feel like trusting others. Every person needs that first break, something that I always tell my daughter that to prove yourself you need to give your best when given a chance. Then there will be no looking back. You haven’t been lucky in the fiction space? I was shocked when Ghar Aaja Pardesi was pulled off air as the production value and casting were phenomenal. In a short span of time that we had, we did a good job but then the channel decided to pull it off. We had just got a week’s notice. We had no other option but to take things positively. I seriously wanted to groom that show as I had just started understanding it better, but the plug was pulled off; I think the channel was too desperate. When do we get to see your next fiction show? We are pitching a couple of shows and are looking at diversifying, basically making films too. Digitally too we are exploring a few things. All this has been possible after my daughter came on board. I share a different comfort level with her and I must say that she is a terrific support. I am confident that she will come up with an independent brand s