Judges in music talent hunts are like dummies: Pritam

New Delhi, Dec 1 (IANS) While most music directors find it tempting to be part of the jury on TV music talent hunt shows, Pritam Chakraborty took long before agreeing to judge the 'Voice Of India Chhote Ustad' series.

He feels judges are like dummies in such shows as the audience gets to decide the winner through a popularity vote.

'Judges in music talent hunt shows are dummies and it is the audience vote that dominates the verdict. It is the only reason I had been avoiding being a jury member on these shows,' Pritam told IANS.

'And I agreed to do 'Chhote Ustad' once it was promised that there would be 50-50 participation by the jury and the audience in decision making,' he added. The series is meant for children in the age group 8-13.

The music director, who has given hit music in films like 'Dhoom', 'Gangster', 'Life...in a Metro', 'Bhool Bhulaiya', 'Jab We Met' and 'Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal', was in town to perform at the intercollegiate fest titled 'IIPM Amaze 2007' organised by the Indian Institute of Planning and Management.

And what makes him think that the audience vote leads to wrong judgements?

'I don't think it is right that the final word should be via audience vote. Viewers are swayed away by emotions and give preference to participants of their area, which is boiling down to promoting regionalism.'

'Moreover, in some cases deserving participants are out and others win. It should be balanced. When the audience vote can negate the judges' bias, judges can guide the audience to vote for the right person,' he explained.

Commenting on whether he would take up singing like some of his contemporaries, he said: 'I don't think I would sing because I am insecure that it might not work.'

The versatile composer, who has projects like 'Race' and 'Singh is King' in hand, also said that if he hadn't been a music composer he would have ended up being a government employee.

'If not a music composer...I would have been a civil servant because my father thought a government job was the ultimate thing.'

'When I was in school I always heard from my family members that I have to be a civil servant, doctor or engineer. And when I stepped into the film industry my father was not happy, but now it has changed.'