Highlights - Episode 1

So we had people who got off the train at CST and walked straight to the venue with their bags and baggage. We also had suave boys and girls who drove themselves to the venue in plush cars. The common factor that bound the two: The desire to be the Agla Indian Idol!

Watch:

While our hosts Aman and Mini mingled with the crowds in the waiting area, the security had a tough time handling the piles of people who had gathered outside the venue. Thank God they recognised our honourable judges who, for a change, gave up on their lavish luxury cars and decided to take Mumbai's oldest and favourite wagon - the Tonga!

Farah Khan, Anu Malik & Sonu Nigam were greeted with cheers and whistles as they made their way to the audition room. The three had a glitter in their eyes, as they were amazed seeing the number of people, some familiar faces, some absolutely raw and unexpected.

But then that's the fun of judging a reality show. "We are here to have fun," pronounced Farah Khan and surely they were in for some serious fun!

I will still be rude, writes Anu Malik

One by one the contestants started rolling. Few were miserable from the word go and some were seriously funny! From songs of Anu Malik to those of Sonu Nigam, the contestants tried their level best to impress our Trimurti but all in vain!

It looked like God was in a mood to listen to Sonu. He prayed hard to hear a good voice and pat came Lekha Desai, a trainee in an ad-agency who is also a singer by choice. After choosing her, the judges were again in for some serious entertainment.

One after the other participants came singing the hot favourite of the season - Dus Bahane! And guess what our judges too had to find Dus Bahane to send these guys back home.

So we saw new inventions of saying no to people - Farah Khan gave apples and bananas to contestants who had entertained her with their weird performances, while the three together would wear scary masks so that they wouldn't have to show their faces to the camera.

And the best was - Aap Ghar Jao - the banner, which the three would hold to avoid saying anything about the misery they had just experienced.

But it was not as if all were bad. As Anu puts it, "Though Mumbai was disappointing, we found some good talent too". Kannabhai who had come all the way from Jodhpur turned out to be a great entertainer. He sang, he danced and he acted, impressing not one but all the three judges.

On being announced as chosen for the second round, he simply burst out crying saying his family never supported his talent. Then we had Amey Date, Panna Gill, Meenal Jain and Kshitij who sailed through purely on their singing prowess; and also Rajesh Tiwari from Jabalpur, a skinny character whose voice amazed Sonu from the first note itself!

If it's Indian Idol, there needs to be some drama. Jigar Kapadia's mother always wanted to see him as a big star. But when the judges failed to be charmed by his voice, she couldn't accept it.

After much persuasion, our hosts Aman & Mini got her in the audition area. Since Anu didn't want to break a mother's heart, he decided to break the rules and allowed Jigar to sing again. Yet again Sonu had to explain to him the flaws in his singing, after which the mother-son left without much solace.

So while some emerged winners, many saw their dreams shatter and still many vowed to come back the next season much more prepared and with much more conviction. As our judges move on to their next destination - Delhi - the chosen ones from Mumbai get on the job of preparing themselves for the uphill task.

Will Delhi be able to Provide Great Voices to our Judges?