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Inside Guruku - II
The feud goes a long way and is on this day. The parties at it, the celebrated writer / lyricist who made it big in the film world versus the Rajasthani folk singer, who's been moderately successfull herself at state, national and film level. When Illa Arun the celebrated Headmistress of Fame Gurukul and Javed Akhtar, the celebrated judge on the same programme were pitted against each other, professional differences were bound to clash with personal opinions and judgements. And so it was to the amusement of the viewing public.
Flashback 1993, when Arun fist hit national headlines with the Alka Yagnik sung, Dev Kohli written and LP composed, scorcher of a song, "Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai". Akhtar is said to have taken a dig at Arun who sung certain stanzas of the song besides taking part in the song video, saying the song was degrading and outrageous, Arun is alleged to have shot back, does it matter when the song is a huge hit. And a huge hit it was and with it Arun hit a high note in filmi world.
The spat which was on a back burner came into prominence during Fame Gurukul galas. There were creative and judgemental differences between the two, and they were one too many. The first was when the highly talented Kirti Sangatia was voted out by Shamit Tyagi and Arijit Singh combo. Kirti, who was Javed's favourite contestant then was furious at the faculty for not inculcating in the contestants, that the criteria of their judgements should be singing talent and not personal agendas. Then came Shamit Tyagi's turn who fell a victim to the very idea he had created .He was voted out by his so called friend Arijit Singh where again, personal agenda took precedence over singing ability. While the faculty in this case was furious with Arijit, Javed took an about turn on this issue and justified Arijit's decision saying each one had a right to decide what is best for his survival. The whispers of opinion in the corridors of Gurukul are loud and clear while Akhtar is a great lyricist, he is a poor judge.
The nation today has its first Fame Jodi. But is it the Jodi that was a unanimous choice. If sources Inside Gurukul are to be believed there is more to it than that meets the eye. There are interesting stories that being discussed in hush tones at Gurukul. Sources pointed out that it was a done deal that the organising channel and its marketing strategist had zeroed the Rex/Qazi combo to be crowned the FJ when the final four contestants were left in the fray.
This jodi was also the unanimous choice of the faculty as well. The channel strategist on zeroing on this Jodi had elicited opinions of the faculty and the jury members. The opinion was unanimous, that a boy-boy Jodi would set the satge alight with their energy, enthusiasm and their charm with the audiences. Its a known fact that an any concert, majority of the audience comprises, girls and ladies. And if you had two boys as FJ performing then the number of screaming girls at a live concert was going to be so huge that the channel could only laugh its way to the bank. The channel stratergists point was proved when the Qazi-Rex jodi performed the Dilbara song from the movie Dhoom at the Final Gala. But there was a spanner in the selection of this jodi and it was none other than Mr. Javed Akhtar.
In the first stage when Ruprekha was safe and Qazi came in through the audience vote, both Ruprekha and Qazi were given the choice at the last minute to select both Rex and Arpita, which they did. This was done so as to make the channel's stratergy a success which was if Qazi was selected as the safe candidate than Rex would come in through audience vote, and Rex and Qazi would have to make a pick between Ruprekha and Arpita. While Rex would pick his Ruprekha, Qazi who was more closer to Arpita than Ruprekha (remember he had crossed her name) was to get in Arpita. This would mean that Arpita who was never a popular figure with the audience would easily be eliminated in the final selection.
While the faculty and two of the celebrity judges were willing to go with the channel wishes, the channel faced strong opposition from Mr. Akhtar. And to make his displeasure known Javed was almost non-interested in Rex's performances, whether solo or duets in the final stages of the contest and to make matters worse made some damaging comments against him.
The statergy would have succeeded but Ruprekha's selection by the audience which to a large extent was indirectly helped by Javed's profuse praise for Ruprekha's previous decision to recall both Rex and Arpita coupled with sky high praise for her Chandi Ratein song in the Rambhoomi (including comparing her singing to the legendary Noorjehan) and the audience sympathy vote put a hitch in this stratergy, but the programme stratergists still saw hope.
The other reasons being whispered, was Javed's personal liking for Ruprekha, was so much that besides prasing her sky high, he also made his choice obviously clear to the viewing audience during the Final Gala. Javed who knew that Qazi would definitely be in the Final Jodi, wanted to use the opportunity to make a political statement by using Qazi's Kashmiri origins, which he did when the Fame Jodi was announced.
It is also whispered that this insider information was leaked to Ruprekha by whom, the readers guess is as good as mine, and this is the reason being touted for Ruprekha not only changing her choice to Qazi as her Fame Jodi partner but also the primary reason for her turning hostile towards Rex in the Final Stages. Ruprekha who was leaked this inside knowledge of the channels plans clearly mentioned to media that she saw Rex as a threath and hence wanted him eliminated.
Gurukul sources also revealed, Mr. Akhtar used his clout to select the Qazi and Ruprekha Jodi to be the first performers, so as to give this Jodi a headstart over the other combos and boy, what a headstart it was.The praise that followed this Jodi's performance was nowhere when comapred to Rex-Ruprekha or the RexQazi jodi, even though to all on view the best jodi performance and audience feedback wise was the Qazi-Rex Jodi. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed the riot they created together.
Every media has a profit motive behind any programme and the channel here was no exception. The channel still wanted to go in for its prefered Qazi-Rex jodi. That is the primary reason the voting lines were kept open till late on the final day so that this jodi could catch up. When Mr. Akhtar came to know of the channel's decision, he is said to have played his final card. He wanted Ruprekha in at any cost and that cost was partly borne by him. Gurukul sources claim that he forgo a huge part of his fees, including forgoing fees for the lyrics to the FJ album and fees to the celeberity FG that was to follow. In the final every viewer saw the card in his hand with Ruprekha's name on it, nothing could be more blatantly biased than this act. Infact, one of the celeberity judges was so upset that he refused to share the same dias with Mr. Akhtar and skipped the final function altogether.
Whispers also doing the rounds indicate betting syndicates also played a huge role in the final result. Mumbai as everyone knows betted heavily for the FJ 02. And the percentage of votes that separated this jodi from the winners was just about 10%. Heavy bets in Mumbai on this jodi was because the odds offered were 2.5% more than the amount bet. For every rupee on FJ 01 would net the wager .30p, for every Re. on FJ 03 would have given one .70p whereas for every Re. on FJ 02 would have given one a cool Rs. 2.5p. So it was in the interests of the betting syndicates that FJ 01 wins, as the amount to be given to the wagers was way too small in comaprison to the other two. This is not to take the sheen away from the winners, Qazi-Ruprekha. They won because one of the three had to loose and it could have been anyone of them.
Now the Nations first Fame Jodi is in rigourous training and will hit the cities and towns of India in the summer of 2006 to have a series of concerts to coincide with annual school and college vacations. Thats about it all to the Inside Gurukul series.
Gargi Rawat
P.S. Inside Gurukul was a two part series on India's biggest reality show so far, by the writer. The infomation is based on interviews, discussions and information gathered with sources at Gurukul, guests, judges, audience participants and from viewing unlimited tapes of edited and unedited video footage. --- GR
The feud goes a long way and is on this day. The parties at it, the celebrated writer / lyricist who made it big in the film world versus the Rajasthani folk singer, who's been moderately successfull herself at state, national and film level. When Illa Arun the celebrated Headmistress of Fame Gurukul and Javed Akhtar, the celebrated judge on the same programme were pitted against each other, professional differences were bound to clash with personal opinions and judgements. And so it was to the amusement of the viewing public.
Flashback 1993, when Arun fist hit national headlines with the Alka Yagnik sung, Dev Kohli written and LP composed, scorcher of a song, "Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai". Akhtar is said to have taken a dig at Arun who sung certain stanzas of the song besides taking part in the song video, saying the song was degrading and outrageous, Arun is alleged to have shot back, does it matter when the song is a huge hit. And a huge hit it was and with it Arun hit a high note in filmi world.
The spat which was on a back burner came into prominence during Fame Gurukul galas. There were creative and judgemental differences between the two, and they were one too many. The first was when the highly talented Kirti Sangatia was voted out by Shamit Tyagi and Arijit Singh combo. Kirti, who was Javed's favourite contestant then was furious at the faculty for not inculcating in the contestants, that the criteria of their judgements should be singing talent and not personal agendas. Then came Shamit Tyagi's turn who fell a victim to the very idea he had created .He was voted out by his so called friend Arijit Singh where again, personal agenda took precedence over singing ability. While the faculty in this case was furious with Arijit, Javed took an about turn on this issue and justified Arijit's decision saying each one had a right to decide what is best for his survival. The whispers of opinion in the corridors of Gurukul are loud and clear while Akhtar is a great lyricist, he is a poor judge.
The nation today has its first Fame Jodi. But is it the Jodi that was a unanimous choice. If sources Inside Gurukul are to be believed there is more to it than that meets the eye. There are interesting stories that being discussed in hush tones at Gurukul. Sources pointed out that it was a done deal that the organising channel and its marketing strategist had zeroed the Rex/Qazi combo to be crowned the FJ when the final four contestants were left in the fray.
This jodi was also the unanimous choice of the faculty as well. The channel strategist on zeroing on this Jodi had elicited opinions of the faculty and the jury members. The opinion was unanimous, that a boy-boy Jodi would set the satge alight with their energy, enthusiasm and their charm with the audiences. Its a known fact that an any concert, majority of the audience comprises, girls and ladies. And if you had two boys as FJ performing then the number of screaming girls at a live concert was going to be so huge that the channel could only laugh its way to the bank. The channel stratergists point was proved when the Qazi-Rex jodi performed the Dilbara song from the movie Dhoom at the Final Gala. But there was a spanner in the selection of this jodi and it was none other than Mr. Javed Akhtar.
In the first stage when Ruprekha was safe and Qazi came in through the audience vote, both Ruprekha and Qazi were given the choice at the last minute to select both Rex and Arpita, which they did. This was done so as to make the channel's stratergy a success which was if Qazi was selected as the safe candidate than Rex would come in through audience vote, and Rex and Qazi would have to make a pick between Ruprekha and Arpita. While Rex would pick his Ruprekha, Qazi who was more closer to Arpita than Ruprekha (remember he had crossed her name) was to get in Arpita. This would mean that Arpita who was never a popular figure with the audience would easily be eliminated in the final selection.
While the faculty and two of the celebrity judges were willing to go with the channel wishes, the channel faced strong opposition from Mr. Akhtar. And to make his displeasure known Javed was almost non-interested in Rex's performances, whether solo or duets in the final stages of the contest and to make matters worse made some damaging comments against him.
The statergy would have succeeded but Ruprekha's selection by the audience which to a large extent was indirectly helped by Javed's profuse praise for Ruprekha's previous decision to recall both Rex and Arpita coupled with sky high praise for her Chandi Ratein song in the Rambhoomi (including comparing her singing to the legendary Noorjehan) and the audience sympathy vote put a hitch in this stratergy, but the programme stratergists still saw hope.
The other reasons being whispered, was Javed's personal liking for Ruprekha, was so much that besides prasing her sky high, he also made his choice obviously clear to the viewing audience during the Final Gala. Javed who knew that Qazi would definitely be in the Final Jodi, wanted to use the opportunity to make a political statement by using Qazi's Kashmiri origins, which he did when the Fame Jodi was announced.
It is also whispered that this insider information was leaked to Ruprekha by whom, the readers guess is as good as mine, and this is the reason being touted for Ruprekha not only changing her choice to Qazi as her Fame Jodi partner but also the primary reason for her turning hostile towards Rex in the Final Stages. Ruprekha who was leaked this inside knowledge of the channels plans clearly mentioned to media that she saw Rex as a threath and hence wanted him eliminated.
Gurukul sources also revealed, Mr. Akhtar used his clout to select the Qazi and Ruprekha Jodi to be the first performers, so as to give this Jodi a headstart over the other combos and boy, what a headstart it was.The praise that followed this Jodi's performance was nowhere when comapred to Rex-Ruprekha or the RexQazi jodi, even though to all on view the best jodi performance and audience feedback wise was the Qazi-Rex Jodi. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed the riot they created together.
Every media has a profit motive behind any programme and the channel here was no exception. The channel still wanted to go in for its prefered Qazi-Rex jodi. That is the primary reason the voting lines were kept open till late on the final day so that this jodi could catch up. When Mr. Akhtar came to know of the channel's decision, he is said to have played his final card. He wanted Ruprekha in at any cost and that cost was partly borne by him. Gurukul sources claim that he forgo a huge part of his fees, including forgoing fees for the lyrics to the FJ album and fees to the celeberity FG that was to follow. In the final every viewer saw the card in his hand with Ruprekha's name on it, nothing could be more blatantly biased than this act. Infact, one of the celeberity judges was so upset that he refused to share the same dias with Mr. Akhtar and skipped the final function altogether.
Whispers also doing the rounds indicate betting syndicates also played a huge role in the final result. Mumbai as everyone knows betted heavily for the FJ 02. And the percentage of votes that separated this jodi from the winners was just about 10%. Heavy bets in Mumbai on this jodi was because the odds offered were 2.5% more than the amount bet. For every rupee on FJ 01 would net the wager .30p, for every Re. on FJ 03 would have given one .70p whereas for every Re. on FJ 02 would have given one a cool Rs. 2.5p. So it was in the interests of the betting syndicates that FJ 01 wins, as the amount to be given to the wagers was way too small in comaprison to the other two. This is not to take the sheen away from the winners, Qazi-Ruprekha. They won because one of the three had to loose and it could have been anyone of them.
Now the Nations first Fame Jodi is in rigourous training and will hit the cities and towns of India in the summer of 2006 to have a series of concerts to coincide with annual school and college vacations. Thats about it all to the Inside Gurukul series.
Gargi Rawat
P.S. Inside Gurukul was a two part series on India's biggest reality show so far, by the writer. The infomation is based on interviews, discussions and information gathered with sources at Gurukul, guests, judges, audience participants and from viewing unlimited tapes of edited and unedited video footage. --- GR
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