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Mumbai, Oct 16: After the 'Indian idol', one of India's most popular TV programmes, Sony TV now steals the audience to its fold with another similar but technically different programme 'Fame Gurukul', which, being now at the climax stage, will decide two of the nation's topmost young singing stars by choice of public and performance.

All eyes of the nation are with good-looking / handsome trio - Ruprekha, Qazi and Rex D'Souza.

The Anchors of GURUKUL on Sony TV - Mandira Bedi and Manav

What is 'Gurukul Fame'?

This is a daily reality drama that tells the story of 12 talented singers who have given everything they have to enter the coveted music academy -- FAME GURUKUL -- and their journey to becoming the nation's biggest singing sensations.

Based on a successful Spanish reality show called Operation Truinfo, Sony Entertainment Television's Fame Gurukul has taken millions of Indians on a roller-coaster ride of fierce competition, spectacular performances and stardom success. Operation Truinfo has been adapted across 11 countries gripping millions of viewers across three continents.

After being tested on various parameters through auditions held across Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai and Indore, only 14 were given the dream chance of training at the academy under a team of top-notch no-nonsense experts from the industry in music and dance. Only 12 of the 14 singers entered the academy through Jury selection and public voting

Every week, a real-life drama unfolded giving viewers a look at the life, struggle, hopes and aspirations of these young singers. Every week, one aspirant was mercilessly be asked to leave the academy till we would zero in on the two, who will become the FAME JODI.

Judging them has been an eminent panel of judges and the ULTIMATE JUDGE -- the NATION.

Who is Rex D'Souza?

Twentyfour-year-old Mumbai lad Rex D'Souza is a music-crazy boy. He enjoys being on stage and it's not his style to be nervous. He is out to win hearts as his favourite numbers are all romantic and he believes that a smile can conquer even a mountain. If Dad had his way he would be holding a steady job but it was Mum that encouraged him to join an orchestra. Rex has had no formal training in music but his talent gave him a place in the workshop for musicians put together by the employees of the Western Railway. For the last two years he has been doing gigs and has performed with the Johny Lever show. Singing apart, he loves to party and hang out with friends. For him being in the Fame Gurukul is an opportunity of a lifetime; it could be a rocket jump from small do's to the big league.

For being the young boy who wanted to take lessons in classical singing notwithstanding his father's protestations to being one of the finalists of Fame Gurukul, it has been a hard and long journey for Rex.

The Bombay boy wants to become like Kishore Kumar, "who, though untrained, had amazing vocal powers."

"I was the kid who was asked to sing at every wedding," he says while laughing. In spite of parental opposition, he stuck to his dreams and soon got his first break as a part of Johny Lever's troupe. "Once my parents saw how determined I was, they encouraged me and my mother even picked up the Fame Gurukul forms." .

Ruprekha and Qazi

The other two aspirants - Ruprekha and Qazi:

The three, who have become close friends after spending three months together while participating in Gurukul, hit the right notes with the city audiences. They could afford to do no less, for the SMS-empowered audience plays a vital role in selecting the singing jodi. Will it be Ruprekha and Qazi, Rex and Ruprekha, or Qazi and Rex?

Ruprekha came in as the local connection. Rupu, as the lady from Kolkata who got trained in classical singing before she auditioned for Gurukul is fondly known, may have learnt her moves well, but fluency in Hindi still eludes her. Back in the city after a long spell, and speaking haltingly in Hindi, she apologizes and says that she is still trying to pick up the nuances of the language. Soon it was back to good old Bangla for her, before she switched back to Hindi after being reprimanded by the organizers. "It is so good to talk in Bengali again. I missed Puja this time," she says nostalgically. "We had to work as we had to keep singing for Navratri, but on Navami, I visited a pandal and offered my prayers."

But it was clearly Qazi who had the girls queueing up in the hot afternoon. The boy with the rockstar looks is clearly the darling of the masses. This Kashmiri who has been in the 'danger zone' in the contest nine times, jokes about it and says that he wants to be a complete showman "just as John Abraham had called me." "India lacks a complete showman like Michael Jackson. I want to be like him," Qazi quips.

Qazi, Ruprekha, Arpita and Rex during their visit to President of India

October 20 - the D-day!

There was a time when to-be singers had to stand in queues to get to auditions and music directors. Now they participate in reality shows.

It's a visa - provided you have a tinge of talent and a dash of personality - that crosses them over to the big league, a stab at that elusive pot called fame. For the Buntys and Bablis, who have personified ordinary middle-class aspirations in the recent film, the reality series have come as the magic lamp that will turn their dreams into reality. And for many middle-class people like Rex D' Souza, Qazi Tauqeer and Ruprekha Banerjee, Fame Gurukul's final episode on October 20 might provide some of the answers; do for them what Indian Idol did for Abhijeet Sawant. The show that has hijacked the attention of Indian audiences is nearing its climax and understandably the three finalists are out wooing the audiences.

Who emerges as the winner will be decided coming Thursday, but for the young participants it would have been a journey of their lifetimes. And the winners will become idols for more Buntys and Bablis.

(With input from Kolkta Newsline and Gurukul-Sify)