Panna voted out of Indian Idol -artilce

Indian Idol Series 2 is get ting hot week by week as the contest inches towards its grand finale. While the Valentine's week had its share of love, mush and romantic ballads on the sets, it also brought a surprising news of yet another contestant being voted out.

This week Mumbai boy Panna Gill, who is popular for the mischievous grin, left the Idol stage with a brave look. He had an indescribable quality referred to as the X-Factor making him unique and his style unmatched. His performances would get the audience up on their feet, joining in the songs and enjoying every moment of his performances.

Panna's exit was very emotional for all the contestants, who had grown fond of his extrovert and charming personality. His parents too, though sad at the thought of their son losing out, were happy to see him come so far.

"This is only the beginning of his career. Our son has a long way to go and I'm sure the exposure and recognition he's got from the show will help him tremendously," said his father.

"With trips to Assam, Delhi and campaigning in Mumbai, Panna's confidence level has increased dramatically and so has his popularity. He's already achieved so much from the show and we are thankful for the experience he has had," added his mother. Though Panna's spirits were low after the show, he took the news bravely and was actually pacifying his fellow contestants! Farah Khan, who had always had a soft corner for Panna, was visibly emotional and didn't speak much for fear of breaking down on camera. "It's a tragic loss to the show," said Farah after calming down herself. "Panna was one of my personal favourite and the most interesting performer among the eight finalists. No other contestant has the X-Factor and likeability that Panna displayed on stage," she added.

Farah Khan had always said that Panna was only a good performer, but he proved her wrong by working on his singing and subsequently becoming a "complete package".

As Panna walked off the stage, the judges and his fellow contestants felt the loss of a friend and an exceptional performer. With only seven weeks before the Grand Finale, the performances are like never before, the tension is gripping and emotions are flying high.