Indian Idol stressed by price of fame

"For getting more and more votes we have to run from one place to another to promote our self. Mornings, it's radio, afternoon it's newspapers and then evenings are spent on shooting videos for on-air promotions," Sandeep said.

It doesn't stop here, Sandeep said, and performing live in malls and at concerts for the show, endorsing products for advertising all of these are woven into his day. "Often we don't get enough time to sleep or practice. And the next day we have to face criticism from viewers and judges."

He added that participants must be presentable so they had to spend additional time with designers and sitting through makeovers. "So where is the time to polish our art, on whose basis we are judged?"

But Sandeep wants to have his cake and eat it too. While he disliked the rigour of the shows, he had no problem with the benefit. He agreed that this was the short-cut without which "we can't get this kind of quick identity and name, fame."

After that he said, "It's up to you. You have to continue to build your position, which was made through someone's help. You get an identity it's up to you to maintain it."

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