Madhuri steals talent show=--Article

Mumbai, Nov. 24: Punjab da puttar Ishmeet Singh edged past UP ka beta Harshit Saxena to become the first STAR Voice of India, but Mumbai rose to the return of Madhuri Dixit.

As the lads from Ludhiana and Lucknow slugged it out on stage, a packed Andheri Sports Complex went berserk welcoming their favourite heroine in her first public appearance in a long time.

When Voice of India host Shaan kept asking the crowd to pick their favourite — Ishmeet or Harshit — the only reply he got was Madhuri.

Looking stunning in a peach-coloured Manish Malhotra sari, Madhuri appeared on stage to a musical medley of her chartbusters from Tezaab, Sailaab and Devdas.

And then totally off script, she gave the Mumbaikars what they had come for — her signature thumka.

That's not all. Prodded by Shaan, Madhuri even sang a couple of lines from her forthcoming film Aaja Nachle.

"I love music and dance and I want to go to the Voice of India show to just have a nice time," Madhuri had told The Telegraph.

It was Ishmeet whom Madhuri preferred over Harshit while watching the grand finale from the front row. "I like his stage presence and his choice of songs," she beamed.

Also present as special guest was Lata Mangeshkar, who presented Ishmeet and Harshit two bejewelled watches from her own brand Swaranjali.

Clinching the trophy on the auspicious day of Guru Nanak's birthday, Ishmeet also won a Chevrolet Aveo, a music contract with Big Music and Rs 10 lakh from STAR Plus.

"The show has turned out to be a turning point in my life and I want to now make the most of it," Ishmeet said.

There was a question mark over the final verdict with three zones — south, east and west — choosing Harshit over Ishmeet, but the north zone clinching the crown for the Ludhiana lad.

Show director Gajendra Singh said: "Perhaps we need to take into account the judges' point of view as well."

A visibly disappointed Harshit complained: "The serial blasts in Lucknow yesterday must have made it difficult for the people to vote for me in the final stages."

However, the first runner-up has already got major offers from the music industry.

The glittering evening also saw lively performances by Shaan himself and one of the judges, Alka Yagnik.

But it was Madhuri Dixit for whom everyone's heart went dhak dhak.