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| Anjana Padmanabhan with Amitabh Bachchan after winning Indian Idol Junior on Sunday night |
On Sunday night, Anjana Padmanabhan, the 10-year-old pint-sized singing talent from Bangalore, became the first winner of Indian Idol Junior (on Sony). t2 caught up with an “excited and shocked” Anjana after the win.
You seemed to be in shock when your name was announced. Has it sunk in yet?
I was very shocked then and I am still shocked now. I had never expected that I would win Indian Idol Junior. It’s a dream come true for me.
What was the winning moment like?
I didn’t even know what was happening! I was a little nervous, but since I didn’t expect to win, there was really no pressure. I was looking here and there… looking at my parents, when Amitabh Bachchan Sir announced my name. For a few moments, I didn’t know whether I was awake or asleep and dreaming.
But you were always one of the favourites. Surely you must have fancied your chances…
No, never! Hindi has never really been my strong point. I didn’t know a word of Hindi till I came to the show. Even here, I would mug up the whole song and just sing it. So, winning a singing show in Hindi was something that I only thought of in my dreams.
Given the language barrier, what made you participate in Indian Idol Junior in the first place?
It’s true that I would get confused with some of the Hindi lyrics, but I always wanted to participate in a singing talent show on a national level. And so my parents and I decided that I should give Indian Idol a try. I also got this opportunity because of my school (Delhi Public School, Bangalore) that allowed me time to participate in the show.
What were your best moments on the show?
The most memorable performance that I think I came up with was the one with Papon. We sang Bawre (from Barfi!) and everyone really liked it. Also, I think I sang Titli (from Chennai Express) very well. There were many celebrities who came to the show. I really liked the episodes with Shah Rukh Khan ji, Amitabh Bachchan ji and Pyarelal ji (of Laxmikant-Pyarelal).
Who were you closest to on the show?
I made friends with everyone, but my best friend on Indian Idol Junior was Sugandha Date (the eight-year-old contestant from Nagpur).
If you hadn’t won, who would you have picked as the winner of Indian Idol Junior?
It’s very difficult for me to choose because all the other three (Debanjana Karmakar, Anmol Jaswal and Nirvesh Dave) were very good. They were all equally deserving.
How have your friends reacted to your win?
All my friends are very happy for me. After the win, I have got a lot of messages and calls from my close friends. My parents are also very proud of me.
How do you plan to celebrate?
I am going back to Bangalore in a few days and there will be a small celebration there with friends and family. I plan to take a break of two or three days and after that, it’s back to studies. But yes, I want to become both a playback singer and a pilot!
Amitabh Bachchan@SrBachchan
T 1141-A morning spent with the Indian Idol Junior Finale ... such talent at such a young age .. simply incredible !!
Harsha Bhogle@bhogleharsha
excellent verdict. anjana was outstanding #indianidoljunior
Shekhar Ravjiani@5hekhar
A truly spectacular grand finale and a very deserving winner! Anjana’s got a great future ahead of her. #IndianIdolJunior
Vishal Dadlani@VishalDadlani
Lots of you commenting on Anjana becoming #indianidoljunior. She absolutely deserves it, as did the other three! So proud of ALL the kids!
Papon angaraag @paponmusic
Happy to hear Anjana winning the #indianidoljunior. Was such a pleasure singing with her in that special episode.
A FOR ANJANA
Trained in Carnatic music, Anjana learns Hindustani classical music as well.
She loves watching movies and eating junk food.
She enjoys playing basketball, tennis, badminton and cricket.
Her dream? To visit Hong Kong’s Disneyland.
Her career goal? To be a playback singer and a pilot!
Priyanka Roy
Did Anjana deserve to win Indian Idol Junior? Tell t2@abp.in
