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ZEE's Sa Re Ga Ma Pa to continue in new avatar
Feb 09, 2006 08:54 AM
ZEE TV's runaway reality TV success Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, will continue in a new avatar after the current run ends in March.

The overwhelming response to the Challenge 2005 contest has paved way for a new series of the show. As part of the new format, previous contestants who were voted out from the show will be given another chance by the channel.

Ashish Kaul, Senior Vice-President, ZEE Network, said, "We have received an amazing and overwhelming response to recall contestants who have been voted out by public voting system. We have decided to give another chance to ousted contestants, we owe this to our viewers who have made 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2005' the best programme in its genre by defeating all so called idols."

"We are in the process of fine-tuning details and will make an in-show announcement in the next few days," Kaul further said. The promos will break on air by 9th or 10th February.

The immense popularity of the show can be gauged from the fact that it helped ZEE TV reach the No. 2 slot in the general entertainment channel (GEC) rating. In the last four-week period (between January 10, 2006 and January 27, 2006) 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2005' scored a gross TRP of 3.53, which is higher than that of Sony's 'Indian Idol' at a gross TRP of 3.31.

Said Kaul, "The reason for sustained growth and popularity is due to the fact that 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2005' has its objective very clear and defined in terms of offering a platform to real, hardcore, top of the line playback voices and not creating marketing chipmunks. It is only because of this objective that 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' as a platform and 'Challenge 2005' as a series have given some of the best singers to the film and entertainment industry that it has today. 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2005' is and will always remain a platform for nothing but the best playback singers."

Editor: Raj Baddhan Source: Exchange4Media

http://media247.co.uk/bizasia/newsarchive/2006/02/zees_sa_re _ga_m.php

Indiantelevision.com's News Headlines

Zee TV's 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' to continue in a new format

By BIJOY A K
Indiantelevision.com Team

(7 February 2006 8:00 pm)


MUMBAI: Encouraged by the good performance its reality talent hunt Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2005 has been putting up on the rating front, Zee TV has decided to give an extension to the programme.

A revamped version of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa will immediately follow the Challenge series, which will be over by the first week of March 2006.




Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Zee Network VP Ashish Kaul agreed that the decision was inspired by the good ratings. However, he added that it was a well-thought out decision and not a knee-jerk one.

"Sa Re Ga Ma Pa is a year-long property for Zee. Unlike the talent hunts on other channels, it never takes a break. Since the Challenge series was about to end, we were planning to launch a new series. Then this thought came up that, why not a new format for the same show. Hence, we have now decided to retain the property in the same time slots," says Kaul.




Zee TV is expected to make a formal announcement about the launch of the new format and the promos will be breaking by 10 February. When queried about the details of the new format, Kaul said the channel was in the last stage of finalising the details. However, he reveals that the new format will give a chance to the contestants who have been voted out of the Challenge series.

"We have received an amazing and overwhelming response to recall contestants who have been voted out by public voting. We have decided to give another chance to our ousted contestants. Zee is in the process of fine-tuning details and will make an in-show announcement in the next few days," he says.

As already reported by indiantelevision.com, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2005 has helped Zee TV to reach the number two position in the General Entertainment Channel (GEC) rating in All Day parts. In the last four week period, the show scored an average TRP of 3.53, ahead of the Sony reality talent hunt series Indian Idol which scored an average TRP of 3.31.


http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k6/feb/feb80.htm

New Sa Re Ga Ma Pa announced; start in March
Feb 09, 2006 10:27 AM
The popular Sa Re Ga Ma Pa talent series will continue to run in a new avatar come March.

The current Challenge 2005 ends its run on ZEE TV on Sunday 5th March in a spectacular three hour slot from 19:00-22:00. The following week, Saturday 11th March will see the revamp of the series with a new name: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa: Ek Main Aur Ek Tu.

The new series is expected to be a surefire hit with ZEE bringing back favourite contestants from Sa Re Ga Ma Pa: Challenge 2005. The new format of the show this time will involve the contestants singing in pairs. Every week will see an elimination of a couple. The winners will get a contract with record label T-Series and a whopping cash prize.

Sa Re Ga Ma Pa: Ek Main Aur Ek Tu will be broadcast in the same time slot, Saturday and Sunday at 19:00 on ZEE TV.


http://media247.co.uk/bizasia/newsarchive/2006/02/new_sa_re_ ga_ma_1.php

Vinit took Kolkata by storm
By Subhash K. Jha, Kolkata: At the Kolkata airport when TV show 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' finalist Vinit got off an aircraft from Mumbai, thousands and thousands of fans surged forward calling his name.

They threw flowers and thrust slips of paper into his face. Vinit looked flummoxed, then pleased. Coincidentally, the two "Fame Gurukul" winners Rooprekha Banerjee and Qazi Touqeer were also at the airport. There was minimal interest in them.

Debojit and Vinit arrived in Kolkata last week and performed at the City Centre, Salt Lake. While Debojit looked around curiously and cautiously, Vinit was a little bewildered when the girls and boys started shrieking.

"It isn't as though I'm not used to crowds by now. I have been through enough live performances all over India ever since 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' happened to me. I do take to the audience immediately and instinctively. But this is something else," said Vinit who sang "Janaab-e-jaani" with his mentor Himesh Reshammiya on stage.

When Debojit got together with his mentor Ismail Durbar to render "Woh kisna hai", the audiences were enthusiastic in their response, though not delirious.

"Debojit definitely has a fan following, and you can see he has fanatics instead of fans," said "Sa Re Ga Ma" producer Gajendra Singh.

Singh then pointed to the fans of the other finalist. "But Vinit has fans who love him for what he is, and not where he comes from. Vinit definitely has an edge."

Reshammiya actually got on stage during the performance to warn audiences not to get swayed by the contestants' places of origin but to focus on talent.

But the crowds didn't seem to need any prompting. They went berserk for Lucknow boy Vinit. Truckloads of girls had arrived, many in school uniforms. They screamed Vinit's name as though their life depended on it. Gifts were heaped on him from all sides. One young woman caught hold of Vinit and kissed him. Vinit looked shocked.

But the best was yet to come. A young woman came forward with a parcel. "This is something I have bought for you with my first salary," she thrust the offering to Vinit. The star of the evening looked confused. He smiled nervously.

"Imagine a 17-year-old boy from a small town, suddenly faced with super-stardom. Imagine what it must be doing to his head. Vinit needs to remain grounded," said Singh.

Half way through the performance, crowds broke the barricade and moved towards the stage. Debojit looked pleased. Vinit was alarmed. The crowd headed towards Vinit and pushed him down. Vinit stumbled, fell and quickly picked himself up.

The show wrapped up at 10 p.m. Vinit was stunned by the experience. "I never thought such attention is possible. It is enough to turn anyone's head. I am going back with a bagful of gifts from people I never knew!"

He showed maturity way beyond his years when he confided. "I am worried about my voice. It hasn't yet changed with puberty. And it is being put under so much strain. I am guarding it as best as I can. But yes, I feel the strains of puberty in my vocal chords."

When told that the attention he got in Kolkata was much more than that for his competitor, Vinit smiled shyly: "I'll have to agree with you."

http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=8973

The little guy from the corner BY SEVANTI NINAN

In a national singing contest, ethnicity is big. So is aspiration.

PHOTO: SHASHI ASHIWAL

THE HOPEFULS: In line for the auditions. BEING gifted with a ridiculously early deadline, I have no idea whether the Bengali lad from Assam finally won "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa" or whether the Bengali girl from Kolkata made it to the next round of "Indian Idol 2". But I do know that the Assamese have convinced themselves that if Debojit Saha does not make it, it will be because of a huge conspiracy against the Northeast in the rest of India. In a complicated country, you cannot have an uncomplicated approach to a singing contest. Ethnicity is big in India, so is aspiration. Every time Indian show biz copies an international format, it ends up weighing it down with things extraneous. With "American Idol", "Indian Idol" and "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa" running concurrently, you discover how tiresome that can be. Indians are moving away with alacrity from watching bad soaps to watching bad singing, and as audiences they bring all sorts of baggage with them. American wannabe singers are happy to go on stage and make a spectacle of themselves even when they know they will be insulted and laughed at. But that would not be so funny here. We don't want a bald, basic contest, nor do we relish unadulterated rudeness. We prefer to politic instead of about the voting outcome. And we want the chamak-dhamak of Bollywood, the cloying clutter of costumes and extras, and the weighing down of each episode with product promotions which insult the intelligence. In America, the market has been the prime mover for so long that it does not need to be in your face. Guest stars Last week on "Indian Idol 2", the professional patina of the contestants was intriguing because this is supposed to be an amateur contest. They were costumed and choreographed, and accompanied by extras. That is the way the Indian show is developing. The contestants were so good, and the judges so taken with their singing that there was little scope for criticism, only some intra judge bickering. Then you had the dominating focus on the guest stars, who obediently maintained a focus on the product they were promoting to the extent of Kareena Kapoor wearing a coffee coloured costume to plug Pepsi's caf chino. Sony has this irritating habit of selling its episodes to the highest bidder. When it wasn't Kareena holding up a bottle of the coffee flavoured cola, it was host Aman Verma telling you which Nokia model you should dial your smses from. The relief came from an audience made up overwhelmingly of quintessentially middle class, middle aged men and women enjoying themselves hugely, some of the sitting arms akimbo. On last week's re-run of "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa", the finalists were far more forgettable than the politics that accompanied the voting on them. It is not new on this show: contestants have walked out protesting about the voting outcomes, so have judges. Now you had the Bollywood guest, Tabu, suggesting that regional biases in the voting should be countered by giving the deciding vote to the zone, which did not have a finalist in the contest. Despite all that, the East zone finalist whose heavy regional backing has drawn protest, still made it to the final two. Little to do with singing? In the peculiarly Indian progression of reality shows, the "little guy from a corner of the country" theme is the flavour of the season. Curly locked Qazi Touqeer from Kashmir surged ahead on "Fame Gurukul" despite his forgettable singing because people, inexplicably, kept voting for him. He ended up winning.

Now on "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa", it is the turn of Debojit Saha from Assam to ride on a backing which has little to do with his singing. The votes he got were in the region of Rs. 40 lakhs. (Multiply Rs. 6 per call to the show numbers into Rs. 40 lakhs, and you get Rs. 2.4 crores, which explains why Reliance Mobile in Guwahati has plastered the city with billboards urging people to vote for Debojit.) An Assamese journalist Nava Thakuria, has written about the hype around this contestant in Assam. Last week, youth took out a rally in the city urging a vote for him! Newspapers carry boxed front page appeals, the All Assam Students Union (AASU) has appealed to the local people to vote for him, but the United Liberation Front for Assam (ULFA) has said he is promoting the cause of Hindi music, not Assamese music and therefore should not be voted for. Imagine, says, Thakuria, people are ignoring an ULFA edict! Though he hails from Silchar in the Barak Valley, the divisions between the Assamese and the Bengali dominated Barak valley have been buried in the combined frenzy to make Debojit win "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa". My goodness.

http://www.hindu.com/mag/2006/02/12/stories/2006021200150300 .htm

When a girl kissed Vinit

by Subhash K Jha At the Kolkata airport when Vinit gets off the aircraft from Mumbai thousands and thousands of fans surge forwardchanting his name. They throw flowersand thrust slips of paper into his face.Vinit looks flummoxed, then pleased. Coincidentallythe two Fame Gurkul winners Rooparekhaand Qazi are also at the airport. There's minimal interestin them. Feb 10. City Centre. Salt Lake….Debojit and Vinit arrive atthe crowded hysterical venue fortheir live concert in Kolkota.While Debojit looks aroundcuriouslyand cautiously, Vinitis a little bewildered when the girls and boys start shrieking. "It isn't as though I'm not used to crowds by now. I've been through enough live performances all over India ever since Sa Re Ga Ma Pa happened to me.I do take to the audience immediatelyand instinctively.. But this is something else," he whispers as he gets on stage to sing Janaab-e-jaani with his mentor Himesh Reshammiya. When Debojit gets together with his mentorIsmail Durbar to render Woh kisna hai, the audiences are enthusiastic in their response, though not delirious. "Debojit definitely has a fan following, and you can see he hasfanatics instead of fans," Sa Re Ga Maproducer Gajendra Singh pointsout to large clusters of Debu-philesshouting his name, holding up banners, insisting that he's the best. Singh then points to the fans of the other finalist."But Vinit has fans who love him for what he is, and not where he comes from. Vinit definitely has an edge," Singh admits. Himesh Reshammiya actually gets on stage during the performanceto warn audiences not to get swayed by the contestant's place of origin but to focus on talent.. But the crowds don't seem to need any prompting. They go berserk for Vinit. Truck-loadsof girls have arrived, many in school uniforms. They scream Vinit's name as though their life depended on it. Gifts are heaped on him from all sides. One young woman catches hold of Vinit and kisses him. Vinit looks shocked. But the best it yet to come. A young woman comes forward with a parcel. "This is something I've bought for you with my first salary," she thrusts the offering to Vinit. The star of the evening looks confused. He smiles nervously. "Imagine a 17-year old boy from a small town, suddenly faced with super-stardom. Imagine what it must be doing to his head. Vinit needs to remain grounded," Gajendra Singh whispers. Half-way through the performance, crowds break the barricade and head towards the stage. Debojit looks pleased. Vinit looks alarmed. The crowd heads towards Vinit and pushes him down. Vinit stumbles, falls and quickly picks himself up. The show wraps upat 10 pm. Vinit seems stunned by the experience."I never thought such attention is possible. It's enough to turn anyone's head. I'm going back with a bagfulof gifts from people I never knew!" He shows a maturity way beyond his years when he confides. "I'm worried about my voice. It hasn't yet changed with puberty. And it's being put under so much strain. I'm guarding it as best as I can. But yes, I feel the strains of pubertyin my vocal chords." When you tell him that the attention he got in Kolkata was much larger than his competitor, Vinit smiles shyly. "I'll have to agree with you. Now let's see what happens in Delhi tomorrow." The duo is slated to perform in Delhi on Sunday.

http://www.santabanta.com/cinema.asp?pid=9674

Treading the hard path to success
Music composer Ismail Darbar tells about his struggles and much more to Madhur Tankha... There are no shortcuts to taste success. And no one knows it better than music composer Ismail Darbar, who is revered for his thought-provoking and sensitive compositions. Having struggled hard for over a decade in the big, bad world of Bollywood before one of the finest Hindi film directors took note of his inborn artistic talent to infuse life into meaningless songs, he knows what success really means. In the Capital on Saturday to judge a musical competition "Hero Honda Surtarang National Singing Talent Hunt", Ismail said he was elated to have arrived in New Delhi. "Dilli genuinely belongs to big-hearted people. It was here that the prestigious National Award was conferred on me for my debut film 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'. The city has been lucky for me as it is difficult and unimaginable for an upcoming composer to bag such an important award and that too for his first film. However, first and foremost I am thankful to the Almighty for showering his blessings on me." On his little known background, Ismail said he hails from Surat, a city in Gujarat. "Surat has given Bollywood three immensely talented artistes. It has produced one of the best Hindi film actors Sanjeev Kumar and also the legendary Mehboob Khan who directed 'Mother India'. Thirdly, it produced me. In Mumbai I learnt Western classical music from Ramprasad Sharma. But Hindustani classical music was in my blood as before me all the three generations of my family were into this wonderful music. My father, Hussain Sahib, played saxophone and clarinet. Western classical instruments were also played by my grandfather and great grandfather," he said. Asked how he managed to get a break in acclaimed film director Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam", Ismail's eyes lit up and a smile crossed his countenance. "After playing violin for 21 years, I took the decision to become a music composer. It was Kunal Ganjawala who gave my name to Sanjay. In our first meeting at his house, I sang the song 'Tadap Tadap'. It took Sanjay six months before he decided to sign me on for the film. He is truly one of our best directors. I say this not because Sanjay is my friend or because he gave me a break but because he has done the whole Hindustan proud through his brilliant cinema." Ismail is gung-ho about his upcoming film "Pyaar Kiya To Nibhana" in which he has got a golden opportunity to make Lata Manageshkar sing. "Though Lataji is 77-years-old yet she works with energy and enthusiasm of a 17-year-old. After I sang the song to make Lataji understand the nuances, she practiced the song till 2 a.m. in the morning and even skipped lunch to dub the song." Expressing happiness that musical programme "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa" on Zee TV was giving a platform to a number of budding singers, Ismail said sometimes it disturbs him to see that teenagers were making such painstaking efforts to make a mark in the industry. "It should not be forgotten that the contestants have been away from their homes for the past eight months and have even temporarily discontinued their studies," he said. About the glamour element introduced in the programme, Ismail said it was necessary to create interest among those who do not give importance to songs. "Even channels have to recover their cost. They provide food, accommodation and all types of comforts to the contestants that too in a place like Mumbai. Naturally, a little glamour element is necessary." In unreleased "Mehbooba" Ismail has got a chance to work with Sanjay Dutt. Ismail said that despite being son of the late Sunil Dutt and a big star, Sanjay is a down-to-earth person. "He knows the importance of sharing a personal bond with the actors."

Even though his contemporary Himesh Reshammiya is making waves by belting out popular chartbusters like "Aashiq Banaya Aapne", Ismail is content sticking to his own field. Ruling out singing songs, he said: "I only sing when I have to make the film director and singer understand the nuances of the song. The day I feel that a particular song can be best sung by me alone I would certainly do it. A person has to bear out his soul while singing. If he is a sensitive, warm human being then it reflects in his song."

http://www.hindu.com/2006/02/13/stories/2006021304770200.htm

Lucknow's Vineet claims performance, not looks work
Lucknow | February 13, 2006 4:35:06 PM IST

Performance not looks work in the field of background singing, Sa Re Ga Ma finalist Vineet Singh has claimed.
Vineet, who was in his home city here, to garner votes for the finals on February 24 said it was hard work which helped him reach the spot. ''I never expected this to happen. But I worked hard on and behind stage to beat the competition,'' he told UNI.

The young, and not-so-tall contestant said people who voted for him went by his performance. ''Had looks worked, someone else would have reached the slot,'' he added.

Thanking his parents and music director-singer Himesh Reshammaiya for helping him reach new-found heights, he said he would soon shift to Mumbai to slog in the music industry. ''I will soon shift my base to Mumbai...before that I would go on a world tour.'' Commenting on the black cap he always wears while performing, Vineet said it was a good-luck charm presented to him by Reshammiya.

''Since the time I have started wearing the cap, I have never floundered while performing,'' he added with a smile.

Vineet already had the opportunity to playback for Mithun Chakraverty's son Mimoh and in 'Rocky', starring Zayed Khan.

Incidentally Himesh Reshammaiya is the music director of 'Rocky'.

Earlier, in a press conference here, he also took the opportunity to seek people's votes for him for the finals. ''I want not only the people of UP but the entire country to vote for me...and I seek their support for my performance,'' he added.

UNI NAB ARS PA SSC1610

http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=248248&c at=India

Ismail Darbar: Enjoying the 'challenge'

Debojit will win!'
Sunday, February 12, 2006 14:50 IST