Kapil Thapa with co-contestant Sourabhee Debbarma

Is history about to be repeated on Indian Idol? If Calcutta cop Prashant Tamang was crowned Indian Idol 3, Dehradun armyman Kapil Thapa is a strong favourite on Indian Idol 4. A t2 chat with Kapil…

You are one of the four finalists of Indian Idol 4. What’s going on in your mind?

Bahut achcha lag raha hai ki itne mahinon ka mehnat kuch kaam aa raha hai. It’s taken a lot of riyaaz and discipline to get to where I am today. The next two weeks are crucial. Let’s see what happens. I am going to give it my best shot and hopefully bhagwaan mera saath denge.

From the very beginning of this season you have been compared to Prashant Tamang, with many in the audience now believing that you will replicate his triumph. Does that put a lot of pressure on you?

It does put a lot of pressure on me but I am extremely happy with the comparison. We have a lot in common. Woh Nepali hai aur main bhi Nepali hoon. Woh police mein hai aur main army mein hoon. If people feel that I have it in me to become as big as Prashant Tamang, then I am honoured and I promise not to let my supporters down.

Has Prashant shared any Idol tips with you?

I met Prashant on the Indian Idol stage itself. He was friendly and very supportive. He didn’t give me any tips as such but said that hard work and perseverance is the key. He praised me for my singing and said he was proud of the fact that I am a member of the Indian Army.

Prashant had the whole of Darjeeling backing him. Is Dehradun doing the same for you?

Of course it is. I have a lot of support from all over India, whether it is Dehradun or Darjeeling. Being a soldier of the Indian Army, the entire country is behind me. I am astounded when I see so many people coming up to me saying how much they like me on the show. Even in a city like Mumbai where people hardly have the time to watch television, there has been huge support for me.

With all the four finalists hailing from the eastern part of the country, there is talk of bias in the voting system. Your reaction?

The Indian Idol auditions were held all over India and everyone from all corners of the country had an equal opportunity to make it to the show. How far you go after that depends on an individual’s performance and luck. It is true that there is a lot of support coming in from the east and the northeast, but the contestants who have made it to the finals — Torsha, Rajdeep, Sourabhee and myself — have also proved themselves time and again. With each round we have bettered our performances and all of us deserve to be in the top four today.

There is talk of you and Sourabhee seeing each other. How far is this true?

It is true that we are very close friends and the friendship may translate into something more in future, but it’s too early to say anything now. Kabhi kabhi channels TRP ke liye kuchh badha chadha ke bol dete hai. Sourabhee is my best friend on the show and we help each other a lot with our singing.

Who among Torsha, Sourabhee and Rajdeep is your toughest competition?

Definitely Sourabhee. She sings very well and she is a great performer. She has a lot of support and everyone seems to like her.

What if you are voted out this Saturday and Sourabhee remains in the fray?

I will give her my best wishes. She is one of the most gifted contestants and I will pray that she wins the title.

And what if it’s a face-off between you and Sourabhee on the March 1 finale?

I will give it my all. For me Indian Idol comes first, everything else comes much later. Sourabhee is a friend all right, but I came here to win the show and that’s what is my priority. Dosti toh hamesha rahegi, Idol toh ek hi baar aata hai.