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Bollywood singer Kunal Ganjawala, who had mesmerised the nation with his soulful voice, was the main attraction of the event as one of the judges of the competition. Besides judging the show, the singer didn't disappoint his fans as he belted out his hit numbers, including Bheege hoth tere (Murder), Dil keh raha hai (Kyon ki…) and Yaar ko maine (Sheesha). In a grey blazer, navy blue shirt and black leather shoes, the man of the moment entertained the audience to the fullest. The other judge at the show was Hindi classical singer Pandit Chhannulal Mishra.
The six finalists were selected after four rounds of auditions held in different schools, colleges and educational institutions of Patna. They gave a tough competition to each other in order to make their way to the award. The contestants with their power-packed performances left the audience speechless. From classical to western — the contestants proved their versatility in front of the judges. The judges, were too, impressed with their effort. “I can’t believe that I am in Patna. The contestants are very talented,” said Kunal.
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Two dance groups performed at the event and the performers provided the much-needed colour and entertainment. The dance group, Rock & Roll, gained much applause from the audience as well the judges for their soulful rendition on patriotic numbers. The perfect synchronisation of the members left the audience spellbound.
Another highlight of the singing event was the ramp show put up by NIFT-Patna students showcasing the new collection of lifestyle store Nilima Creation. The students, looking no less than professional models, showcased the latest fashion trends.
Keshav walked away with the winner trophy. Kajol and Abhishek were the first and second runners-up respectively.
In between judging the grand finale of the music competition, singer Kunal Ganjawala of Bheegey hoth tere fame spoke about his love for independent albums and why technology can’t replace melody. A t2 chat
You have sung in more than six regional languages. What made you learn so many languages?
India is a country where there is more than one language. By learning and singing in different languages, I want to get connected with my fans in every region. Local languages help you connect with your fans directly. I am happy about the fact that my fans in south India love me as much as in north India.
You wanted to become a chartered accountant or an actor. What made you change your mind?
It is true that I was not even a bathroom singer. I discovered my singing skills when in Class VIII, I was whistling when some of my seniors of my school (St Peter’s School) bullied me asking to sing a song. I was shocked and told them: “I never sang in my life”. But I had to sing and it was then when I realised even I can sing.
Has the use of modern technology in music degraded the quality of singers?
The world in general has become very noisy. Nowadays, you will find more tamasha songs. But to answer your question, if a singer is not trained, technology alone will not help. Technology can help enhance the quality of a song, but can't put melody into it. It is just a tool. The music director should know how to use it. If a singer is solely dependent on technology, he/she won't survive for long in the industry. Technology can't replace melody.
Many music directors have turned singers. So is the career of singers at stake?
Almost all the music directors have turned singers. They love to sing their own compositions. Nowadays, even actors and actresses have started singing. There are many music directors, including Shankar Mahadevan and Vishal-Shekhar, who started off as singers in the initial phase. Himesh, too, tried to sing before becoming a music director. So people are getting back to basics. If they can put our profession in danger, we can do the same.
According to you, what is the reason behind the decline of independent albums?
I think Kailash Kher and Mohit Chauhan were the last singers to enter Bollywood through albums. In private albums, the input and investment are more than the output. Bollywood has a bad tendency of absorbing every good thing. When film producers saw that singers were getting recognition through albums, they stopped funding them. They thought private albums were a big threat to films. A film is not about music, but an album is. We love to sing for big names, but at the same time, we also want to get recognised for our own creation. Many big iconic album stores are on the verge of closure. I am looking forward for an album era again. Piracy needs to be stopped or else, it will become a big threat to the music industry.
What kinds of songs you love to sing?
I personally love romantic numbers. But since I am a singer, I have to sing party numbers, too. I don't know what is wrong with the peopleof the country. They are always in the mood to have fun and don’t want to listen to good songs. These days there are much of tamasha songs as compared to love songs.
goa girl scarlett rose and mayank gandhi are the winners of MTV Splitsvilla 7
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Scarlett Rose
Age: 22
Hails from: Goa Background: I am a model and a former Miss Goa. I was born in Calcutta but brought up in Guwahati. I often visit Calcutta as I have relatives there.
Shows currently on air: Fanaah 2 and Kaisi Yeh Yaariyan.
Why Splitsvilla: This season, male TV actors featured along with girls from various walks of life. I had not done a TV show before and thought Splitsvilla would be exciting.
Best moment: I was very happy on the show. Every day was a different day for me.
Worst moment: When I was about to get dumped (as in eliminated from the show) on the second day.
True love on Splitsvilla: When you are put in a villa without any connection with the outside world, you may fall for someone. Seeing them from the moment they get up in the morning to the moment they go to sleep for 30 days, love can happen. In my case, it didn’t, but I have made amazing friends like Ayaz Ahmed, Abhishek Malik and Ashwini Koul... they are friends for life.
Winning moment: Mayank Gandhi and I never got along from the first day. But when he had the chance to choose his partner for the finale, he selected me. It was unexpected and shocking. I thought he would choose Priyanka (Purohit) as they were good friends. So for the first time, I thought of playing for myself. Later, I came to know that Mayank chose me because I was popular with the other contestants. He could get ahead on the show because of me. After the semi-final, I gained confidence but also felt bad, as I had to compete against my closest friend, Abhishek Malik. Others asked me to under-perform, but I didn’t because it wouldn’t be right from the game’s point of view. At the end, it comes down to how badly you want to win!
Life after the win: Before Splitsvilla 7, I had got offers for TV shows but I kept refusing because my Hindi wasn’t good. But the positive response to Splitsvilla and the exposure made MTV sign me for their youth shows Fanaah 2 and Kaisi Yeh Yaariyan.
Fan following: I am getting a positive response on social networking sites and from the people I have met after the show.
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Mayank Gandhi
Age: 30
Hails from: Kanpur
Background: I am a TV actor for the last seven years and have worked in a few daily shows. My last TV show was Desh Ki Beti Nandini (Sony).
Shows currently on air: None.
Why Splitsvilla: It is a big brand and an established show. The concept was hatke and the biggest tadka was Sunny Leone as host. The show has taught me how to be politically correct. As far as my win is concerned, destiny and luck worked in my favour.
Best moment: Every time I made a friend on the show.
Worst moment: The fights with Ayaz Ahmed and Abhishek Malik brought out the worst in me.
True love on Splitsvilla: Love ek din mein bhi nahin hota hai, bees din mein bhi nahin hota hai aur kabhi bhi nahin hota!
Winning moment: I was happy but then again, I wasn’t that happy because Rashi (Sharma) wasn’t there with me. But I was glad that I could take revenge on Abhishek. When Rashi got dumped I had decided not to move forward in the game, because I didn’t want to win pairing up with anyone else. But Rashi wanted me to play and my motivation was to beat the hell out of Abhishek.
Life after the win: I will be in Sony’s Box Cricket League for Pune Anmol Ratan. I love cricket.
Fan following: I get a lot of text messages and phone calls. People are recognising me on the streets. I now have an identity.
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