Posted:
Indian Idol has had a pretty lukewarm response... So I decided to find some of the flaws, and make a list of what to correct for an II3 (if there is one)
And if you came to this spot without reading it all, scroll back up and read it or else!đĄ
- Change the semi-finals format. The Piano Rounds are good, but it's not really a good format. I suggest this one (AI): Have a girls' gala, a boys' gala, and a results show per week for a month. Have the audience vote after the girls' gala, and then after the boys' gala. Eliminate two boys and two girls each week, until the Top 28 is down to the Top 12.
- Let the contestants choose their songs wisely. Have experienced people help them; they should choose songs that suit their voices and are challenging enough to be sung for the show. Otherwise Farah Khan says that they are singing nursery rhymes and they are eliminated the next day through no fault of their own. This happened to Neha and Antara.
- Stop with all the celebrity judges. It's not like the movie stars' fans are going to tune in to watch 5 minutes of their favorite stars making a few comments and plugging their latest movie out of a whole hour of episodes. And how are the movie stars helpful to the singers? Yes, they can tell them how to handle fame, but they're not really helping with their singing or anything. If you're having any celebrities, they should be at least related to music more than just having danced to it. That brings me to my next point.
- The theme nights are very good; but there were only three this year, Shaadi, Love Songs and Folk. The Folk gala was the best, as it showcased music from the entire country. Why not extend these theme nights? Have themes like those of major artistes who have left an impact on the industry, this would be excellent for the contestants. The great Manna Dey would make for a very good theme night, don't you agree? How about music from a decade?
- If you're having these themes, invite some of the artistes to coach the contestants, like they do on American Idol. It's definitely more helpful than movie stars who come, plug their latest film, talk about how their character is close to their heart, and have nothing at all useful to say to the contestants!
- Please, have the judges make more constructive comments. Farah Khan seems to not believe in them at all; she just repeats these: "Touched my heart", "Upar upar se", "Aankh band kar ke", "Nursery rhyme", "Makeover", "I'm ready to forgive you" (for boys), "It is unforgivable" (for girls), and other blabber.
- Have a more fair Top 12. Despite having all those separate gender piano rounds, we eventually got a lopsided Top 12, with 7 boys and 5 girls. When Jolly was voted out, a girl should have been brought in her place, instead of Anuj. I feel that Dilpreet and Jyotsna were far better than Anuj!
- Have 1-800 (tollfree) numbers instead of those 190 ones. You would get far more votes using the tollfree numbers; especially from the teens, who make up the major part of the audience. If Sony is power-hungry, then there's always the SMS votes that give them a fat chunk of the profits.
- Have voting only for a fixed period of time after the show. If the phone lines are open for twelve hours after the show, then don't you think that the results will be unfair too? The audience will probably have forgotten the entire performances by that time, and end up voting for the ones who were out of sur. After the show, keep showing clips of each contestants' performances with their voting numbers in the breaks of other shows; this will keep them fresh in the audiences' mind. Getting less votes shouldn't be a problem, due to the increased number of phone votes because of the tollfree numbers.
- There's no reason to stretch out the results like you do. A typical results show:
- Anchor: "Last week A was eliminated. Let's show you what B, C, D, E, F, G did! They ordered Pizza Hut! They dyed their hair with Garnier! It's their Style Funda! Judges, who is in your bottom three?
- FK: The people who didn't touch my heart.
- AM: The two besure who sang so horribly that I was disgusted. D, M, G, you were bad! You were so bad that...
- Anchor: Stop it.
- AM: Who are you to tell me to stop it!
- (Meaningless fight ensues)
- SN: I'll have the Three Besure in the bottom three.
- Anchor: Now it's time for your results, but, after the break! Let's tell all the contestants what the judges told them (as if they hadn't heard it last night). Why did you sing to the celebrity judge? Did you want more votes? B, you are in the bottom three... or not. Let's tell C that they are in the bottom three. B and D, it is time for your result. Your result is... coming up after the break! B, your friend D is safe! But B, I'm sorry, you're safe too! E, you're in the bottom three! Another break! F, bottom three, G, safe. Bottom three, all of you sing your songs, then judges will say how they liked it.
- AM: I'm shocked, besura is safe and surila is in bottom three.
- FK: No, I said that the people who touched my heart will be safe, and see! I was right!
- (Some stupid jokes while the bottom three C, E, and F wait nervously.)
- Anchor: F's mother is here in the audience. I would like to ask you ma'am, do you feel bad that it is your son's seventh time in the bottom three? (Oh no, of course not, they just feel great that their son might be going home!)
- The highest votes among the three is... after the break. OK, the highest votes among the three is... E! You are safe! Psst! Audience! Cheer like the neon sign tells you to!
- The person who you will shower your votes on over the next weeks will get an album contract, a Maruti, and fame. But who will go home with a Visa card with which they can shop at 11,000 outlets with 50,000 rupees, an ideal goodbye gift, and a Nokia Nseries!
- OK, the person with the lowest number of votes is... the result is in my hands. I will announce whose dreams are going to be shattered. The person is... after the break! The person is C! F, you are safe! Judges, your comments!
- FK: Don't worry.
- SN: You have a bright future.
- AM: You will definitely sing for me. Of course, this is just all an act for the camera.
- Anchor: C, you are a star. Let's watch your video. Write your message. Sing your song. Now get out of here!
- Did you see how horrible it is? My suggestion is, cut down the unnecessary melodrama and suspense. Try some new ways of announcing the results - I like the group way, in which they announce result using grouos, one of which is bottom 3.
- Please, no more of that walkout stuff. It was so obviously a TRP booster, and just ruined the reputation of the show. American Idol is the best show in the USA, and it never resorted to these cheap tricks. So, follow my suggestions, II, and you will boost your ratings without becoming cheap[er]!
And if you came to this spot without reading it all, scroll back up and read it or else!đĄ
Cricket
