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Reality shows-a search for talent, or just another entertainment show?

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by crazywriter, Jun 30, 2009.

  1. crazywriter

    crazywriter Platinum IL'ite

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    [JUSTIFY]
    Switch on your TV and any channel you see has a lone person perched atop a stage, crooning a popular number, and trying to show that she or he is feeling the emotion that is being sung. Reality music shows have arrived. In any and every language, for any and every age group.

    There have been many music competitions aired on TV for a long time now. Starting from simple group antaksharis to solo competitions, they have never failed to enthral us. Meri Awaz Suno was one of the most well loved and oldest shows on TV. These shows had a very simple concept and stuck to the basics. They introduced novel rounds like identifying the song on the basis of the background music, or the actors in the song, and so on. The decision on the winners was made completely by the anchors, with the help of the scorer, who kept tab on the marks in each round. How can we forget the evergreen and enthusiastic Annu Kapoor, who would set the stage aflame, with his energy and passion? The judges for competitions were able and competent maestros in the field of music, whose word could be trusted. The criteria for deciding the winners were very simple. Pure merit, purely the participants’ ability to sing, with aspects such as pitch, melody, beat, and depth as the only deciding factors. And then the times changed. The era of reality shows stepped in.

    Some years ago, Channel V came up with reality shows to select singers for a band. The first season saw the formation of an all girl band called ‘Viva’, and in the next season a mixed band ‘Aasma’ was formed. The judges for this show comprised of two musicians, a model and a fashion designer. Although the musical talent of the participants was considered, other factors like the looks, dressing sense, hair, etc, was also a priority. Some contestants were rejected because their looks did not confine to the largely accepted concept of ‘beauty’. Other channels like MTV started similar competitions. They brought in celebrity judges like Adnan Sami and A.R. Rahman. Naresh Iyer, the voice behind some very popular songs in the film Rang de Basanti, was a discovery by Rahman from one such competition. Interestingly, he did not win the show.

    Next, Sony TV launched a new show, Indian Idol. Designed on the popular show American Idol, it introduced the concept of audience voting to select the final winner. The judges of this show were two musicians, and a choreographer-film maker. One of the judges was Anu Malik, whose accomplishments as a music director and singer are not praiseworthy.

    Several good musicians were eliminated thanks to audience voting. And less talented singers progressed to further rounds.

    The whole concept of audience voting to decide the winner is a highly faulty and dangerous idea. The audience are not professional musicians to decide the quality of the singers. Invariably the votes go to the participants from their home town, or the prettiest lady, or the best looking man. Sympathy votes or pity votes are yet another factor. So and so has lived a very impoverished life, and has come up the hard way. She or he truly needs the money that comes with the prize. Therefore, we shall vote for them, seems to be the attitude of some. The truly deserving musicians tend to lose out thanks to the voting system.

    Judges like Himesh Reshammiya, Anu Malik, Alisha Chinai, and so on, are not the best in their professions. Anu Malik is famous for his borrowed tunes, Himesh is the most nasal singer of all, and Alisha does not have very many songs to her credit. The maximum entertainment provided in these shows is the bickering and squabbling the judges indulge in. The judges seem to think of these shows as a platform to vent out their personal feelings towards each other. Malik is well known for scolding the contestants in the harshest of tones, so much so that the confidence levels of the participants hit rock bottom.

    All these judges argue amongst each other on national television, regarding the decision on the participants. One tends to wonder if these fights are real or made up. Such behavior is not expected out of responsible adults, more so when they are on national television, being viewed by large numbers across the world.

    Another alarming trend is that the contestant is not judged only on the basis of their vocal talents. They are also expected to dance, act, and look stunning. All this is to be a part of the winning package, along with the ‘X’, ‘Y’, and ‘Z’ factors. This robs the charm from the pure delight of music. This also shifts the concentration of the participants from the quality of their singing. Their singing becomes merely an accompaniment to their antics. This ensures them votes from the millions who watch the program, with their fingers poised on their cell phones to vote for the most entertaining performer, as opposed to the best singer.

    The regional music contests do not have the issue of warring judges, thankfully. The judges tend to be very loving while dealing with the contestants. They do not shout at them or scold them, while pointing out the defects in their singing. In one local channel, one of the judges refers to the participants as little one. Following his lead, the other judges too have begun to do the same. But sadly, the music in these competitions is not free from the performance element, wherein the participants are expected to dance and act along with their singing.

    Some of the participants also view these competitions as a launch pad to modeling and acting. We find former participants of Indian Idol acting in serials, taking part in dance reality shows, and anchoring the Indian Idol show, instead of working on their music.

    The point behind holding these reality shows is lost completely on music worshippers. Is it truly a search for talent, or is it just an entertainment show? The shows claim that they will select one worthy among many, and will groom the person to achieve perfection in music. But why restrict this opportunity to only one, or two? Why not groom all the ones who come up with the eagerness to learn, and better themselves? That would be a better way of promoting music. And then these participants can give concerts and shows. The victory of each one would be a testimony of the success of the show. And the coaching must be given by competent and able masters in the field, and not by popular music directors who churn music out to an audience which believes any kind of noise, even that of nails scratching on a black board, to be music.

    To conclude, music reality shows are a grand scam, used to feed a particular image to the innocent viewers’ brain. This must not be encouraged as such drama is being carried out in the name of music. A better approach towards talent shows would be the best idea. If there must be winners, then let them be chosen on the basis of pure merit, and by authorized judges. The practice of audience voting has to be discontinued, and emphasis should be on talent alone, and not on looks or performing abilities. TRPs do matter to a channel, no doubt, but if they want such publicity, they must continue to rely on soaps, as they have done for decades, instead of using such tactics to increase their viewership.
     
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  2. amihere

    amihere Platinum IL'ite

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    Hi Suma,
    A well written blog:) But one advantage of the reality shows(talent based) are atleast some among the few are getting this oppurtunity of exposure and grooming up,but as you said now a days it's just TRP that the channels are looking for.Your blog took me back to the memories of meri awaz suno,all in my family used to gather round the T.V to watch program
     
  3. sigmabeta

    sigmabeta Bronze IL'ite

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    I loved your play of words!! Nice write up.
     
  4. Lalitha Shivaguru

    Lalitha Shivaguru Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Suma,

    A good write up and agree with what you have written. It was like you were echoing my thoughts. I was always wondering when it is a music contest, why should the participant dance and come as if for a fancy dress competition? Here I should mention one regional programme in Kannada which I like most conducted by a very famous and popular singer. He carries off the show in a very dignified manner and asks the tiny tots not to sings songs which has got a very vulgar or suggestive meaning. I really appreciate him for taking care of these small issues too.
     
  5. Kayree

    Kayree New IL'ite

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    Nice write up,suma:)
    I would personally think reality music shows has more entertainment value than any real talent cultivation.
    Most of them are in it for their 15 mins of fame.Still,it is an opportunity for even the genuinely talented person to make an impression on the hearts and minds of a vast audience.
     
  6. Prem.S

    Prem.S Silver IL'ite

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    Very well written Suma. Me too wonder in a music competition why more attention is given to overall looks rather than the real talent.
    Cheers,
    Premsudha
     
  7. coolgirl24

    coolgirl24 Senior IL'ite

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    Good writeup suma...

    what u said is so true !! Nowadays the reality shows are just for entertainment where the participants are asked to sing just one song in every episode and even among them the best singer often tends to lose the competition and mediocre singers make it as winners on the basis of regional votes which is v unfair !!

    I still remember TVS Sa Re Ga Ma which was aired on zee tv hosted by sonu nigam several yrs back...was purely based on music, where there were a variety of rounds like classical singing, singing without background music etc...which used to reality test the participants singing abilities !!

    What is happening in reality shows nowadays is that, u just have to rehearse one song well and sing it every week where u dont really need classical training, an average singer without learning proffesional music can do wonders in this format and is considered as an idol !!!

    The reall essence of music is lost !! Its really sad !!

    cheers

    vidya

     
  8. crazywriter

    crazywriter Platinum IL'ite

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    thank you for your comments ladies!:hiya
     

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