Aishwarya's entry upsets 'Little Champs'

Mumbai, July 29: All hell broke loose during the recording of Zee's immensely popular kiddies talent-hunt "Little Champ" when 12-year-old Aishwarya Mazumdar made a sudden entry on stage.

The judges -- Alka Yagnik, Bappi Lahiri and Abhijeet -- went ga-ga over Aishwarya's singing, but the parents of the other participants had another story to tell or yell.

"The minute Aishwarya sang and was praised to the skies the parents of other contestants lost their cool. Voices gradually rose across the studio challenging Aishwarya's impromptu participation. They wanted to know how she suddenly appeared on the show," a spectator told to sources.

"When Gaj-ji (Gajendra Singh) pacified them saying Aishwarya was a contestant who had fallen ill in-between and had to drop out, the parents of eliminated contestants sarcastically reasoned that their progenies too should be brought back because they were not in the best of health when they got eliminated," added the spectator.

Producer-director Singh is very upset by the turn of events, which spoiled the July 27 episode.

"What happened was very upsetting. It shows how selfish parents get in protecting their own children's interests. Aishwarya is one of the most outstanding discoveries on 'Little Champs'. Everyone agrees she was destined to be in the top five. The girl unfortunately fell ill and had to return home to Baroda.

But as the finals approached and I felt she deserved another chance.

"When we brought her back this week we were proven right. The girl sang like an angel. Sadly, the parents of other children protested and we had to reluctantly ask Aishwarya to withdraw from the contest. I sent her off with a heavy heart saying she'll definitely be a part of our next innings," said Singh.

Singh feels it is a national loss.

"At times like this one wonders what's the right thing to do. I was doing what I thought was the morally right thing to do. But my intentions were not only cut down but also doubted."