Sa Re Ga Ma Pa: Final countdown begins

Debojit: Calm

Hours before the event, Debojit is calm and collected. "Whatever I've achieved, where I've reached, is more than enough. I feel the blessings my mother gave me before her death have borne fruit. This week alone, I received five lakh votes from my hometown in Assam. I can't begin to tell you how confident it makes me feel.

Do I feel nervous or excited about the grand finale? No… I'm not thinking of the results at all. I'm thinking only of my singing and how to sing at my best level possible. I'm happy with whatever God has planned for me tomorrow. I'm really excited about singing the song my mentor, Ismail Durbar, has composed for me.

It's a Sufi gaana… very, very soulful. And Ranjit Barot has arranged it. I never thought I'd stand in front of so many thousands of people, including some of the biggest musicians and stars, and be watched by millions of people at home at a live event, singing such a beautiful song composed specially for me. It's a dream come true."

Vinit: Confident

In contrast, Vinit is a picture of cocky confidence. "No, I'm not nervous, but very excited. We're rehearsing hard and I'm feeling good about the finale. I have a great line-up of songs for the grand finale, including One love, Kaal dhamaal, Badshah and Chand taare. I also have a duet, Just chill, with Himani," he exults.

"But the big one for the evening is the song that my mentor Himesh Reshammiya has composed. It's a soft, melodious Indian ballad, which mid-way goes into a cool, Western interlude. Very challenging to sing."

When I tell him show producer-director Gajendra Singh claims they've received four lakh SMSes as audience votes for the two finalists, Vinit stops to think. "That much, huh? I guess the grand finale is much bigger than we thought. Yes, I'm confident of winning."