Talent hunts are an integral part of TV these days. Talent hunts are organized for various reasons. Some want to identify the best singers while some want to select the best dancers.
Others may wish to zero in on potential youth icons that who have multiple talents. There is no doubt that these shows provide a good platform for talented youngsters who might have been relegated to oblivion otherwise. Anybody can participate in these televised shows but only the best make it to the final rounds.
Lots of fresh talent has been unearthed by such shows. From the TV channels’ perspective, however, there is more of self-seeking rather than altruistic motives for conducting such shows. They chase higher TRPs while the contestants chase fame and glory.
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It is not just urban youngsters who participate in these shows. Many of the aspirants come from the hinterland, driven by an urge to escape the dreariness of their mundane lives. With stars shining in their eyes, they set foot in the big city and take their place under the arc lights like wannabe film stars.
Some of them do end up becoming stars in their own right. Once they do life changes overnight. Some can take it in their stride and go on to achieve more while others lose direction and flounder. The boy from Mahim, Abhijeet Sawant, the winner of Indian Idol, cut an album but still waits to make his mark as a playback singer.
Amit Sana became a household name but the doors of Bollywood still haven’t opened up for him. Singers like Shreya Ghosal and Sunidhi Chauhan were luckier. They were able to land film offers and other lucrative contracts to sing on stage for star-studded events. The main problem with talent shows is that their format sometimes prevents the best talents from making it.
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Voting by the public in the form of SMS is likely to be biased. What happens is that the final winners may be the most popular rather than the most talented. But soon they realize that without genuine talent and discipline they cannot survive once the show ends and the publicity fades away.
So the most one can do is to consider the show as a good platform to showcase one’s talents and enjoy the limelight while it lasts. After that it is a lonely road filled with obstacles. But true merit and perseverance plus some luck can get you where you need to go eventually.