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http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/Entertainment/2007 1219/851586.html
Post 70s Bollywood to come alive on TV with K For Kishore
New Delhi | Wednesday, Dec 19 2007 IST
After Om Shanti Om and Khoya Khoya Chand recreated on big screen Bollywood era of the 70s and the 60s, the small screen is also set to witness a rekindling of memories of the ''''golden period of Indian cinema'''' with an ode to the musical maestro Kishore Kumar.
K For Kishore, a new show to be aired on Sony Entertainment Television from December 21, will witness 12 talented singers from across the country, all of whom have looked upon Kishore Kumar as an inspiration for their singing, battle for the title of the most deserving successor to the music maestro. Judging these contestants in their ability to match up with the singing skills of the 70s legendarly singer will be music director Bhappi Lahiri and playback singer Sudesh Bhonsale. To be aired twice a week for ten weeks, on Fridays and Saturdays at 2100 hrs, K For Kishore will have Bhappi Lahiri, who has had a close association with Kishore Kumar, having worked with the versatile singer in a series of films from Chalte Chalteto Waqt Ki Awaz, and Sudesh Bhonsale, who completed all the unfinished assignments of Kishore Kumar after his death, will, along with a live audience, decide which of the 12 contestents go on to the next round. Speaking at a press meet in the capital last evening to promote the show, executive vice-president and business head of Sony Entertainment television, Albert Almeida said,"the show will have 12 talented voices from across the country recreate the magic of the great Kishore Kumar by singing his songs that have, over the last 20 years, become an anthem for the youth of India." The 20 episode journey will finally lead to the singer closest to Kishore, as Kishore Kumar was popularly known in the industry circles, in terms of singing. A unique feature of the show will be that unlike other music reality shows, k for kishore will not have SMS voting as a criteria for selecting the best contestant. The entire selection power has been vested in the judges and the live audience. An added attraction of the show will be the appearance of the 70s heart-throbs Dev Anand and Rajesh Khanna as well as the melodious Asha Bhonsale, all of whom have had a close association with Kishore over the years, in the special celebrity episodes of the programme. Speaking at the press meet, music director Bhappi Lahiri said,"it is a show extremely close to my heart, having had a close association with Kishore, who incidentally also happens to be my mama(maternal uncle), from Chalte Chalte to Waqt ki Awaz.So, in a way it is my tribute to the great singer and an ode to his versatility.Expressing confidence that the show would be well received by the TV audience, the music director said, show of this kind has never happened on Indian television before. It has an element of newness and freshness about it. I am sure it will be a big hit.reminscing about his association with the great Kishore Kumar, Bhappi Lahiri said,after ˜Kishore, I have not seen another singer who is as good at singing as at performing. The greatness of Kishore was that he could sing all kinds of songs beautifully. The show is being produced by Miditech, which has produced for Sony popular reality shows like Indian Idol and Fame Gurukul.
| By A.L. Chougule |
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It's barely a week since Jhalak Dikhla Jaa ended but Sony is launching not one but two reality shows on its weekend band this week. K for Kishore will be telecast on Friday and Saturday at 9 pm and Champion Chaalbaaz No. 1 Saturday at 10 pm. As the name suggests, K for Kishore is a unique concept that will recreate the magic of legendary singer Kishore Kumar. This reality show will run for 10 weeks with 12 contestants, all professional singers, competing and aiming at being the voice closest to that of the late Kishore Kumar. The judges for the show are music director and singer Bappi Lahiri who knew Kishore as a friend and musician, and singer Sudesh Bhonsle, who completed all of Kishore's incomplete songs after his death. Says Sudesh, "The 12 contestants have been chosen through auditions in several cities. They all are professional singers, some of who have also sung cover versions of Kishoreda's songs." Champion Chaalbaaz No. 1 is an Indian version of the international format Prankstar. It is a simple reality-based comedy format show that will feature 33 contestants putting their 'mischievous best' foot forward. Each episode will showcase three participants who will pull of an individual prank followed by them getting together to pull off a combined prank. Every episode will also feature a celebrity prank as well. The contestants will be judged by a live studio audience as well as Cyrus and Saajid. www.deccan.com |
Rajeshwari back again
It has been a long time since her Nach Baliye heroics and Rajesh-wari Sachdev is happy to be doing reality television again. The actress replaced Babul Supriyo as the host in the Sony show K for Kishore since the former was busy with NDTV Imagine's Dhoom Macha De. Supriyo was approached earlier as he has been known as a Kishore Kumar fan. but the channel seem to be pretty happy with the replacement. "She is very versatile. While she is a good anchor she is also a singer and a dancer," said Albert Almeida, executive vice-president and business head SET. Rajeshwari did show her talent in Nach Baliye where she lost out in the finale after hubby Varun Badola goofed up on his steps. This time though the actress would be alone!
www.deccan.com
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Ranjib Mazumder | ||
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Q You were a guest on K for Kishore for two episodes. How did you end up as a judge on the show? I was invited as a guest along with my stepmother and brother and we all had good time watching the singers singing my father's songs. The show started with two judges but Sony asked me to stay on as the third judge. K for Kishore is an interesting show and I am enjoying it. In fact, it helps relive the magic of my father's mesmerising voice. Q The participants are all professional singers. How do you find their singing? Do you think anyone is closest to Kishore Kumar's voice? Yes, they all are professional singers in their own way and the common factor they share is that they are all die-hard Kishoreda fans. This is a big platform for them to showcase their talent. There are three or four singers like Arnob Chakravarty, Chaitan and Milind who are really good. But they all need to work hard. It is one thing to sing my father's songs but it's not easy to sing like Kishore Kumar. He was a genius and there can't be another Kishore Kumar. The fact that someone thought of doing a show on him is a great tribute to his status as singer. Q Do you think these days it's much easier to be a singer than the time when you started your career? It's easy in the sense that there are lots of opportunities like talent hunt shows and private albums which give lot of exposure to newcomers. At least the introduction part is being taken care of. If you have taken part in a talent hunt or done an album or two, it makes it easier for you to approach music directors and companies. These days music directors also find singers through talent hunts. In my father's days things were very difficult. That era was quite different. But there was melody in those days. Q What do you find missing in today's music and singing? Music has little depth and singing is less melodious. Technology is helping a lot in hiding faults and shortcomings. The old orchestra has been done away with completely. How many good singers do we have today? We have hit songs but how many good and memorable songs do we have today? Q Why did you take a backseat as a singer? I have sung many songs. But I didn't like certain things about the industry. Recording companies started dictating terms to music directors. The commercial element started creeping in and creativity went for a toss. But I have not taken sanyas from singing. It's not that I am sitting at home in a saree. I still do playback singing and stage shows. Q Do you find it difficult to live up to your father's image? Have the expectations been bit too much? Let's leave Kishoreda alone. He was a legend. There can't be another
singer like him. He shot up like a rocket as a singer and ruled the
industry for 19 years. I have had a good journey as a singer. No, it is not. Mostly popular songs are sung repeatedly. I hope less popular but good songs are sung too. Q But is that feasible? Yes, that's a big problem. I think a show on Kishore Kumar will not end even in 25 episodes. www.deccan.com |
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Though last seen on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa as senior judge several months ago, Asha Bhosle is least interested in watching music talent hunt shows. But the singing queen who has sung innumerable songs with the maverick Kishore Kumar and knew him closely will join K for Kishore as a senior judge from April 18. As the show reaches its penultimate lap with five top contestants who have beaten stiff competition to reach the last leg of the competition, Asha along with other jury members will decide on the voice that bears a striking resemblance to that of the late Kishore Kumar. Asha says initially when she was approached, she was bit apprehensive. "Then I thought to myself it's about Kishore Kumar, someone whom nobody knows better than me. There can never be another Kishore Kumar because in 1000 years God makes one Kishore, Lata, Rafi and Mukesh. I thought let me see who my kids (Amit Kumar and Sudesh Bhosle) have groomed for the top five. Now I will hear them and decide who is closest to Kishore's voice," says the veteran singer. Explaining how she would be marking the contestants, she adds, "I would look into various aspects — how close the voice comes to Kishore da, the talent and range of singing for which they will have to work very hard. www.deccan.com |
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