Start | | Abhijeet Sawant is neither Amitabh Bachchan nor Shah Rukh Khan. But ask anyone in Dharavi, northcentral Mumbai, for his address and you will get it! "This is unbelievable!" exclaims his mother Manisha. "Sometimes I feel I am dreaming that my son has become famous overnight! Since childhood, Abhijeet was our favourite during Antakshari. Now, he has become India's favourite! Girls, grandfathers, middle-aged men... they all want to meet Abhijeet and want him to win. Wherever I go, I am known as Abhijeet's mom." The phone rings constantly. There is a regular stream of visitors and journalists to wish her the best and inquire about Abhijeet. Abhijeet -- in case, you are one of the handful of Indians who didn't know :-) -- is one of the two finalists on Indian Idol, the Sony Entertainment Television show which has taken the nation by storm. Judgement Day is February 24, when India votes for the winner. |
 | | Last week, I had gone to the Dadar vegetable market (near their home). A five-year-old girl recognised me and asked if I was Abhijeet's mother. I have almost lost my voice just talking about my son nonstop!" exults Manisha. "See that bouquet? I don't know who has sent it! I don't know the people who are blessing my son. Everyone wants my son to become the Indian Idol. I hope he makes it," says the proud mother. The Sawants live in a building allotted to employees of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, where Abhijeet's father Shridhar Pandurang Sawant works. Mumbai Mayor Datta Dalvi awarded Shridhar a trophy to honour his son's achievement. |
 | | This is the best of times for our family," adds Manisha (left). "Everyone who we know will send an SMS in favour of my son so that he can win." The winners on every Indian Idol show are decided by the number of text messages each contestant receives at the end of each programme. From 400,000 SMSes sent at the end of the first programme, the number has increased to over 30 lakh (3 million) at the end of the quarter-final show. "Last week I sent 197 SMSes in three hours! For the final, I plan to send at least 200 text messages," says Abhijeet's childhood buddy Mahendra Pai. And what was his cell phone bill? "Don't ask!" Mahendra cuts in. "We want our Abhijeet to win. The phone bill is the last thing on our minds." Abhijeet's neighbour Malati Ambore adds, "I work at Nair Hospital (in southcentral Mumbai). I have told the doctors, the nurses and the dean that they should vote for Abhijeet. I have called my relatives and friends in Ahmedabad and asked them to vote for Abhijeet on the final day." |
 | | In the five months since the contest began, Abhijeet has visited his home only once, on February 11. His contract with Sony Entertainment Television has a clause that he has to live at the chosen venue (the Hotel President in south Mumbai) until the finalist is decided. "We don't even get to speak to him," says his mother Manisha. "He has switched off his cell phone. There are so many people who want to meet him and disturb him nonstop. He told us he would contact us when he gets the time. He calls us regularly." "He was not meant for a job because he felt he won't reach anywhere academically. He did a correspondence course rather than go to college. He concentrated on his singing. He didn't tell anyone when he applied for Indian Idol. He only told us when he was selected among the first 30 contestants," she says. Abhijeet has had a passion for singing since childhood. His uncle Sanjay Sawant, a stage singer, helped Abhijeet pursue his dreams. |
 | | Manisha visits the Famous Studio in Mahalaxmi, where the show is recorded, every Friday at 4 am to find out whether Abhijeet (extreme left) has moved on to the next level. The SMS lines close at 1 am after the show is telecast on Thursday night. Counting takes about three hours, and the results are declared by 4 am the next morning. Says Mahendra Pal, "I don't dare to go at that time because I am too nervous. Abhijeet's mother is our lucky mascot and therefore we tell her to get the results. She always returns with good news and I am confident my friend will win the final!" |
| Ask him about Abhijeet's rival Amit Sana (extreme right), and he replies, "The best thing about him is that he is a fighter. He is determined to control his voice even when he is ill. We admire his fighting spirit." Agrees Manisha, "There is no doubt he has the fighting spirit. He also has luck on his side, as he got in through the trump card in the earlier rounds. I told Abhijeet I would be proud of him even if he comes in the first five. I am happy he has made it to the final. Now I pray he succeeds." |
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