II3 CONTESTANTS ARE LAB RATS!!

Perhaps, it is for the TRP ratings and what not, but let me just put a thought across in this post: Why is it necessary for II3 (a musical talent hunt in essence) to consistently toy with the participant's emotions to such great lengths as seen on every elimination episode? 😕

Granted, the format of II3 is such that one entire episode is devoted to revealing the eliminated contestant, but such ploys where contestants are duped, shocked, and harassed unnecessarily (by making them come on stage with the looming fear of being eliminated and then reassured of their safety) until the eliminated contestant is finally revealed (like a cat and mouse game) seems quite unnecessary and a tad bit cruel to me.

The contestants and the judges (though less affected than the performers) become virtual lab rats on the show as it is in the end their emotions that are being toyed with. "Deepali you are.in the D....wait we will announce your result after the break," or "Emon, you are in the danger zone....(Emon comes on stage)...NOT this time, you can take your seat!" 😕

My point is that at the end of the day are these gimmicks really necessary? I think it would be quite a rude shock to the II3 producers if one day a contestant gets a heart attack/minor stroke on stage due to the excessive anxiety and unncessary shock value generated. I read on one of the other II3 topics posted that Puja suffered chest pains and needed a doctor on the sets after Abhishek elimination today. Such news, forces one to ponder on the negative consequences of sensationalizing an episode to the detriment of a contestants' health and sanity.🤢

In comparison, I find the SRGMP episodes less focused on experimenting with the contestants emotions. Granted they have a traffic light signalling whether a contestant is safe or not. However, an elaborate trick planned by the II3 producers such as the one shown today where four of the contestants (Deepali, Prashant, Amit, and Chang) were first made to believe they would be eliminated, then made to sing, and finally after a "break" told that they were in fact SAFE while the others were placed in the DANGER zone, is yet to happen in SRGMP.

I would like to hear what others think. Is it okay (or even ethical) for producers to plant such gimmics and toy with contestants and viewer sentiments to the point of making it appear more like a Sherlock Holmes mystery rather than a talent contest? Or alternatively, should II3 stick to its' focus on contestant performance and less on such unnecessasry drama?

Also, things I came to know from other posts about what goes on behind the scenes:

1. While shooting for the Roobaroo video, a CAMERA DROPPED ON PARLEEN'S HEAD and he had to get stitches! Even then, he had to continue performing in the galas with stitches et all.

2. Each Gala episode is shot right after an elimination. So contestants have no time to grieve or even get over the elimantion of a fellow contestant or the anxiety they have just been subjected to! 😕 So, if we saw, for example, Emon crying his heart out for Parleen, well then he had to perform in that state just a few short hours late for Gala 6--how is that humane?..don't ask

3. Puja, as I had mentioned of course, fell seriously ill after the elimination round this week. She had the doctors brought in and was suffering from chest pains. Despite this, her performance was criticized heavily by the judges!

More behind the scenes trauma, as I "learn" of it! Seriously, I feel like going there myself and disclosing what is really going on!!😡

4. I want to thank a fellow Idol viewer who just informed me that as of now contestants apparently cannot even disclose all the details of how they performed in the Gala, who got eliminated, and what goes on behind the scenes to their families! Now, that sounds disturbing to me. If you cannot tell your family, then who can you tell!😕

5. How many know that Smita Adhikari was under steroid treatment to reduce acne and other blemishes on her face. Now, perhaps Smita didn't mind, but can producers "in the name of makeover" pressure contestants to take medication or who knows lose weight drastically...the possibilities are endless!

By the way, the topic on Puja's illness can be found another thread posted in this forum. Quite sad to hear that 😕

I completely agree with you. The contestants are treated like lab rats. The contestants this year are young, more naive and emotional. I've seen the "you are in the danger zone not and go back" been done twice to Abhishek who is quite a nervous guy. And today was the limits. It might seem like fun when one is watching it on TV but I think it is painful for the contestants.

Originally posted by: tpam

and that too 2 hours aftr the results!!

i remember ppl were so much against charu becoz she said i cant believe that i am out bt ewas that her fault???
remember hussain used to say " charu aap aaj hamare saath chodke jayenge . par aap mini ke paas ja rahe hai"
many times they made charu fool and wen she was out she cudnt believe , she was shocked!!

The sad part is that these contestants like you guys have noted are really quite young. Sometimes when you are this young and ambitious and "overhyped", then suddenly getting eliminated might completely affect their psyche. Also, unlike SRGMP where contestants often get recording contracts even while performing for the show, II3 contestants land up in obscurity following their elimination. The only thing left with them is their Sony Erickson mobile phone?? How cruel is that?

i agree, the poor kids have to work their head off, doing concerts and ads and do their own practice and then perform. They should treat them with some respect. calling them, saying they are in the danger zone and then saying they are safe can be trauma on anyone. even the ones who thought they are safe to be told that they are in danger out of the blue can have bad effects on them. To add insult to injury they have to perform on the very same day.
Most of them are just kids and they are being made to work like dogs. even the adult ones are not supposed to work 23 hours a day. there must be a law against this or something? 😕

Think about it, at least the judges (Javed Akhtar, Anu Malik, Udit, and Alisha) are getting big moolah for being on the show, what do these contestants get? Fame, yes, but only for a limited period. Granted, they are very "fortunate" to be performing on this stage, but given that II3 produces are making so much profit out of these young contestants and making them work like dogs, they should at least get some monetary compensation for all their hard work after being eliminated! 😕

Originally posted by: priyankumupal

Most of them are just kids and they are being made to work like dogs. even the adult ones are not supposed to work 23 hours a day. there must be a law against this or something? 😕

Seriously, I am sure if the ILO or any human rights organization investigated what went on behind the scenes, there could be some serious legal repercussions!

Originally posted by: rima_bhatt

Think about it, at least the judges (Javed Akhtar, Anu Malik, Udit, and Alisha) are getting big moolah for being on the show, what do these contestants get? Fame, yes, but only for a limited period. Granted, they are very "fortunate" to be performing on this stage, but given that II3 produces are making so much profit out of these young contestants and making them work like dogs, they should at least get some monetary compensation for all their hard work after being eliminated! 😕

Agreed. This is not a game show, it is a talent show. I know these contestants do get stage shows, but I'm sure part of that money too or maybe most of it Sony takes. A mere cellphone for all that rehearsal and practice does not make sense. What's even sadder is when contestants are promised a chance for playback singing and not given that chance. Last year so many contestants were promised a chance and this year too. Anu Malik has not kept to his word yet. Even Shankar Mahadevan in FG promised 3 contestants a chance but did not keep uo to his word. Its only the Saregama judges like VS and Himesh who have actually given contestants a chance to sing. The Indian Idol contestants are really treated like scapegoats.

Originally posted by: tpam

i am soo sad abt pujas condition , omg a young girl of 17 yrs had to suffer from chest pain?? and why nt .... then doctors come and then sony force u to sing within 1 hour!! waah re waah !

and the matter is worse i read parleen saying that they dnt even sleep 3-4 hours in a day!! can yu believe??? bt why ?? nt becoz they r getting trained for singing well bt to promote the channel all over the country do rubaroo shooting and all non sense stuff!!
and aftr all these ppl expect them to perform well and do awesome!!
and i must say hats of to puja , emon deeps amit and other for doing so well even aftr all these

I agree. Also, they are twenty four hours under the camera. I agree that the price of fame is tough, but more than any normal celebrity every movement of theirs' within the house is scrutinized and capture on camera. So, even if you want to cry alone, you will be shown on TV for millions of viewers to watch. I hope these contestants come out sane😕

Originally posted by: r_tvfan

Agreed. This is not a game show, it is a talent show. I know these contestants do get stage shows, but I'm sure part of that money too or maybe most of it Sony takes. A mere cellphone for all that rehearsal and practice does not make sense. What's even sadder is when contestants are promised a chance for playback singing and not given that chance. Last year so many contestants were promised a chance and this year too. Anu Malik has not kept to his word yet. Even Shankar Mahadevan in FG promised 3 contestants a chance but did not keep uo to his word. Its only the Saregama judges like VS and Himesh who have actually given contestants a chance to sing. The Indian Idol contestants are really treated like scapegoats.

Absolutely, I really feel SRGMP is much better in this regard. At least the judges are music directors themselves and many have been given contracts then and there on the show. Indian Idol for all its hype and publicity is really a raw deal for contestants. If their aim is 15 minutes of fame, even then this competition is not worth all the harassment and struggle one has to go through on a day to day basis.😕