Karunya's Homecoming
Indian Idol finalist Karunya plans to cut an album with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa finalist Hemachandra
Roli Srivastava
The association between N C Karunya, finalist of Indian Idol 2 and Hemachandra, finalist of Zee's Sa Re Ga Ma Pa goes beyond hailing from the same hometown, Hyderabad, and being participants of popular reality television contests. Both are first cousins and are now planning to cut an album called 'Hyderabad Cousins'.
However, it will take another two years for them to cut the album as Karunya is on contract with Sony until then, informs Hemchandra. The music will be composed by Karunya.
Currently, Hemachandra, besides recording songs for his first album, is rooting for his cousin's victory on Indian Idol.
"We both have been very competitive since childhood," he says. "We would always take part in contests and bag prizes. At times he would beat me, at other times, I would beat him. Now, I want him to win."
Karunya visited his hometown, as part of Sony's promotional drive for contestants to seek votes from their home turf. Having performed in the city earlier this week, Karunya looks refreshed. "I am feeling refreshed. I love Hyderabad," he says.
Karunya's mother P Janaki feels that Hemachandra's ouster from Sa Re Ga Ma Pa was because people from Hyderabad did not root for him, the way other regions did, for their contestants. "I do not want the same thing to happen to Karunya," she says.
During his whirlwind trip in Hyderabad, Karunya met the chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and Telugu film superstar Nagarjuna, besides appealing for votes.
Meanwhile, in this hectic schedule there seems to be little time for riyaz. "I have learnt from Sonuji (Sonu Nigam) how to rehearse even amidst a busy schedule. He keeps a tanpura in his car. I too have started rehearsing in the car. Although I don't have a tanpura, I keep a pitch pipe," says Karunya.
For the final performance to be shot on Monday night, Karunya and Sandeep will perform on three themes – Amitabh Bachchan, a song of personal choice and song composed for them by Sony BMG. "For the Amitabh Bachchan theme, I will sing 'Jahan teri yeh nazar ha' and the song of my personal choice would be 'Jhanak jhanak tori baaje payaliya'. I wanted to sing a classical number," he says.
Hemachandra, who is presently living in a rented flat in Lokhandwala is confident that his cousin will do well for himself and buy an apartment in Mumbai soon.
Kumkum Bhagya
Tum Se Tum Tak
Sampoorna
Jhanak
