I would not entirely agree that looks is all that matters in the show! If that be the case, then Rahul Vaidya, Prajakta Shukre of II 1 or Amey Date of II 2 wont have been out in favour of those who eventually won the contest. At the end, it boils down to who woos the audience more.. either with singing or with any other attribute, be it looks, sympathy, etc.
Completely agree that the quality of talent which has gotten into the final 13 are undeniably the best so far in the show, in these years... barring an odd one here or there...
On Smita, more than physical beauty, she needs to connect with the audience, she needs to appeal to the audience. As a singer or a performer, unless you connect with your audience, your job is half done. Take a reclusive singer, who has a fantastic voice and control over the sur, taal etc. but who is shy of public, or who holds him/ herself aloof during the performances, or who is completely lost within him/ herself during the performance, such a singer may just find him/herself with a smaller audience, as opposed to a singer who is good but importantly, through his/ her singing, has the ability to reach across to the audience and involve the audience with the performance.
For all her kiddishness and for all the babyishness in her voice, Richa still touched a chord in many a heart during her audition performance and that was purely not because of her looks...
For Smita's own sake, I wish she would get more confident and reach out more to people than whats she is doing right now. Would definitely help her in the contest.