The little champ
I am not a celebrity yet, smiles Sa Re Ga Ma Pa's l'il singer, Pawani Pande
Jaskiran Kaur
TUCK your T-shirt in," Aparna Pande nudges her teenage daughter like a true mother. Mum's the word, and Pawani Pande quickly pulls it in and zips up a smart jacket. This is when we finally recognise the girl - the number four in Sa Re Ga Ma Pa's L'il Champ that had the entire country praying, singing, and smsing. "Oh that, I hated it. Personally, I don't quite encourage public voting. It just can't match up to the judges sitting there. When there is a jury that's experienced and masters in their field, why ask the public to vote and spoil it," she says, voicing the same for the other l'il singers. Does she want to come back, try again? "Not at all. I am happy this way. Moroever, I've done all I could. It's time to enjoy life for a while," Pawani is back to school in Mumbai. She's in Class IX and prefers her friends treat her normally. "I am not a celebrity yet, and I want things to be normal right now."
"We, in any case, never put the pressure on her. It was a contest and it was meant to be enjoyed," Aparna adds. Quiz her fav, and she shoots - Shraddha, Neha and Aubrokanti. What next? "Study and later on, playback. It's my only passion. Music is my life." Sing along!