To chase a shining star

Almost each and every GEC has some or the other singing/music reality show on air. As understood by most of us, and this includes the participants too, the purpose of such shows is to give talented people from smaller cities and towns a platform to enter the world of playback singing. But strangely all those contestants who announce to the world that music is their only goal, ambition and passion in life end up pursuing other avenues like acting in movies, TV or even becoming hosts on TV shows. Why does this happen? Is it because the industry is already flooded with scores of singers? Or is it because after the show ends most of the promises and claims made by the organizers of such shows prove to be mere empty promises and tall claims? Do such shows help the winner's career or they're just overrated these days that no one cares anymore? Or were these so-called singers only looking at making a back door entry into the glamour world? I take a deep look at this as some more such shows (be it in different formats) have hit many GECs and some are waiting to be launched. Sony just launched X factor claiming that it is India’s biggest singing reality show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs is currently on Zee and not to be left behind MTV’s soon to be launched Coke Studio and yet another one is almost ready for Bindass. And when I see the hopeful faces of all those who come from all over the country to try and make a place for themselves on one such show, I get worried. Worried because their hopes may be dashed, their dreams shattered since there are so many other talented individuals still waiting to record their first song. The reality singing format is nothing new to Indian viewers. As far back as the 1990s similar shows were being aired on television. Meri Awaaz Suno, could lay claim to being one of the world's first reality singing shows, launching the career of Indian singer Sunidhi Chauhan. In 1995, the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa began. Arguably one of the most popular programmes on Indian television, it has a simple and familiar format. Indian Idol which is an Indian version of American Idol will now be in its sixth season. How many of us know or even care to know what happened to the winners of these shows? Hordes of hopefuls throng every audition of all such shows often leading to stampedes. Out of the lakhs that audition only one emerges as the winner. Contracts are signed where the winner is either given a cash prize or a break to playback in some upcoming film or even the chance to cut an album. Sure the promises are kept but what happens thereafter? So many winners and so little work. With established singers already in the race the fresh entrant hardly manages to get his leg in the door of the already crammed studio. Moreover, now with the market already bursting at the seams with so much talent even the established singers are finding it hard to get work. When the supply is more than the demand, is it fair offering hope to newcomers? In fact the music composers who come to the shows as judges praise them to such heights that all of them think they are next Shreya, Sunidhi or Sonu. And with so many seasons coming one after another it is very tough to fathom how these singers will earn fame in the limited chance they are given. I think in some cases, these shows can find talent but it depends whether they would last long as artists and whether the audience wouldn't get bored of them. So one will argue that how all the shows do well on the ratings game? All reality shows are bred and nurtured on one element- emotional drama. Audiences do not get bored of them because those who attend these auditions are ordinary people like us and we can somehow and sometimes relate to them. Furthermore, most of them have a back story that appeals to the human in you. All of us are suckers for sob stories and we love to see a contestant who has a story to tell. A marketing head of a channel says that what we are seeing now on TV are genuine reality shows. The singing and dancing based shows are more of talent shows, he adds. Coming back to the economics of such shows, a channel official says that their responsibility ends with the show. What the future holds for the winner is not their concern. This is the point I am making. If there is no future for the winner should there be so many new shows that scout for talent? When the talented singer sells his home, mortgages his assets or even takes a loan to make his way to the nearest audition centre, isn’t there any responsibility towards him? If there is no place in the market for him then why make him go through the ordeal in the first place? Since singing is a very inherent part of Indian culture such shows will continue to be made. I am not denying the fact that most of the participants are supremely talented. In fact that is what makes it more heart breaking when you soon see them fall by the wayside. So isn’t it about time we showed the participants the real picture? Read more...