What happens when the reality show ends

But while they promise to be even bigger and better this time round, one can't help but wonder what has become of the winners of previous seasons, because once when the applause dies down is the time when reality settles in. Like it did for 27-year-old Abhijeet Sawant, the first Indian Idol winner. From the humble background of his Mahim home, Abhijeet's popularity chart has seen more downs than ups in the last three years. "This is part of every artiste's life, but in our case it is more obvious as we got up faster and so the fall, too, is steeper," says Abhijeet, who has since then released six albums, sung playback in Aashiq Banae Aapne and Jawani Deewani, and performed at numerous stage shows.

His competitor of Indian Idol 1, Amit Sana, 25, has a similar tale: "Besides the stage shows, I am trying to produce my own music." But ask him about his dream assignment and pat comes the reply, "Films." Getting famous on a reality show and getting a break in a film are not the same, however. "The show gets you recognition and some work but there is no guarantee about getting into the film industry," says Sana. Yet the lessons learnt on the show can be life-altering in other ways too. "The most important thing the competition gave me was confidence. It is, in fact, a starting point," says 24-year-old winner of Fame Gurukul, Rooplekha Banerjee. Most music-based reality shows have celebrity judges grooming participants to become performers, something they take with them after the curtains falls, like last year's Sa Re Ga Ma Pa winner, 18-year-old Aneek Dhar. "It teaches you how to perform with the audience, dance and use body language," says Dhar.

However, even if Bollywood doesn't come knocking, all is not lost. "All those who participated in the first part of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge never went back home.
Some got into acting, some are doing stage shows, some have joined channels as anchors," says singer and anchor of Zee's Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and now Star Plus's Voice of India, Shaan. Take a look: Debojit Saha, winner of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2005 is anchoring the Zee Bangla installment of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and is now on Big Boss; Toureeq Qazi, winner of Fame Gurukul has bagged a movie; Rahul Vaidya of Indian Idol 1 has a few Bollywood assignments; Rahul Saxena sang a song for Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om; and Amit Tandon of Indian Idol fame is working for Ekta Kapoor's serials.

"The truth is most confuse success with popularity. While the show is on, everyone knows you and you are popular. But once the show ends, the struggle to remain popular starts," says Shaan.

With the stage set and a new round of hopefuls waiting in the wings to try their luck in reality shows, Abhijeet's words ring true, "At least after Indian Idol the music directors I approach for a job have heard my voice and name unlike earlier when I had to wait outside the studio with a recorded tape and beg for an audition."

Thanks. Terrific Article, I must say.

problem is that most of these youngters stop doing riyaz and abhyas, I mean in older days the Gods of classic like Bade Ghulam saab, Amir Khan, P Bhimsen did riyaz for 25 years and still said they have to learn a lot, I remember reading somewhere that P Ravi Shankr took 8 years to have a full grip on a raag bhairavi.

Most end up doing stage / shadi shows to make a living.

they take cheque and prepare for next years drama