They are young, talented, confident, fashionable and come with a voice to die for. The big little stars of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Champs on Zee TV tell DEEBASHREE MOHANTY how they are here to rule the roost with charisma and singing talent which holds even the legendary Asha Bhosle in awe
Ever thought that a bunch of tiny tots (from 8-14 years) could keep you away from your favourite soaps and yet glued to the TV sets on a weekendIJ That’s precisely what the current crop of contestants of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa lil Champs on Zee TV are doing. They sing like veterans and have an attitude like a superstar. That in itself is a heady mix. Add diva-esque clothes and three spirited judges and you have a formula that could beat any soap.
“The competition just gets better and better with time. The stage’s set for something big,” says Arundita Nayar from Delhi. There are many like her who find themselves addicted to this singing reality show. As for the contestants, they are elated. “More viewership means much more votes. We are loving the limelight,” Gagan Gaonkar from Udupi in Karnataka, says.
This 13-year-old contestant has been singing and acting since he was 4 and can sing sufi, classical and retro with ease. Ask him if he favours the classical to sufi and he needs a few seconds to make his choice. “I love both. As a singer you are supposed to be able to sing everything without any difficulty,” he philosophises.
Gaonkar who has won the Kannada series of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa is happy with where he has reached on the show but has his eyes set on another coveted prize. “Who wouldn’t like to winIJ But I am not here solely for the prize. I am here to learn and make friends,” he says. So, what’s his forteIJ “My seamless attitude and composure,” he says.
If Gagan was the epitome of confidence, nine-year-old Aishwarya Saha is not far behind. One of the youngest contestants on the show, Aishwarya hails from Kolkata. This young talent even went on to win Zee Bangla’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa in 2011, when she was barely 6. “I can sing to any rhythm and my inspiration is none other than Arijit Singh,” the bubbly Saha tells you.
She is training in classical and semi-classical music but she loves to improvise on her performance. “You have to give it your own stamp. I like to do my own things but do not interfere with the soul of the song,” she says. The only thing that bothers this go-getter are the eliminations — “after having come this far, I don’t want to leave it,” she says.
Ridham Kalyan from Punjab, on the other hand, is cool and doesn’t care about the results. He declares himself to be very ‘in-the-moment’ kind of a guy. “We have all learnt a lot. We are richer with information and nothing can beat this feeling,” the Punjab da puttar says. He practises over the phone with his father and is confident that his perseverance will pay off. “Exposure to mil hi raha hai,” the 14-year-old says.
But what is it that is driving huge TRPs for this singing reality show in its 10th yearIJ “The show is emerging as a platform giving young talent an opportunity to make a career in music. It is their journey that is fascinating,” Ranjan Majumdar, a TV critic, explains. Take the case of Keshav Tyohar, from Patna. This 13-year-old contestant has learnt Hindustani classical music since he was only 4. His mother is a music teacher and apart from singing, Keshav is also training to play musical instruments like tabla, guitar and key board from Trinity College of Music.
He aspires to be a music director and a singer. But a few years ago, he had no idea how to take his talent forward. There was even a time when he thought music is not getting him anywhere. The show came as a blessing in disguise.
Arunita Kanjilal, another star in the making feels this kind of exposure is encouraging. “Now families in tier II and III cities recognise budding talent and encourage their children to take it up professionally,” the 11-year old from Kolkata, tells you. Kanjilal who ‘simply adores’ Shaan says she would love to train under Hari Haran and Shreya Ghoshal too.
Encouraging raw talent has become kahani ghar ghar ki where parents do not waste time in enrolling their wards in some of the other form of art — be it classical dance forms or music. “It is a very good trend but it should not be misused,” warns Varenyam Pandya, a Gujarati boy who hails from Mumbai. Pandya who is just 9 has been exposed to music ever since he was a toddler.
“That’s what happens if you belong to a family of musicians,” he says laughingly, before he got eliminated from the show. While his father is a singer, musician and voice culture trainer, he and his elder sister are into singing and playing various musical instruments like keyboard and tabla. Varenyam is a versatile singer who sings in 14 languages and is proficient in every style, be it western or Indian classical.