Talent hunt shows for kids is no kiddie business

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: With all the publicity talent hunt shows for kids these days are no small business.

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Rajdeep Sardesai

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Mumbai: After months of eliminations, tension, and anticipation,the moment of truth had finally come for the finalists of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li'l Champs, their loved ones and all their fans were supporting them all the way.

Anamika Chourdhary is all of 12 , But she knows how to strike that winning note, as she beat her competitors Rohanpreet and Tanmay Chaturvedi to take home a cash prize of Rs 20 lakhs, a fancy car and a whole lot of fame. But this seventh grader along with her competitors took on the limelight with a grown-up élan.

The grand finale for the young ones was no small affair, with talent hunt shows these days reigning high on TRP charts, everyone is most happy to piggyback on their success.

The biggest names in Bollywood are ready to come on as guests, not to encourage the young ones, but to promote their own films and shows. The organisers of these talent hunt shows want scale, and advertisers are most happy to cash in on the popularity.

Some of the grand prizes on the shows are not even given with the needs of youth. One can say that the road to stardom, even for young ones is big business.

Last year's Lil Champ Sanchita is now 15 years of age and is already running a packed schedule. She might be just 15 but hers is no small career, as she demands a supposed Rs 5 lakh fee for each performance. She is so much in demand for her talent, that her father has quit his job to manage Sanchita's fledgling career.

Sanchita's father, Dhruba Bhattacharya says, "All I wish for is that my daughter grows to be successful playback singer, and gains world recognition."

Close on the heels of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li'l Champs is yet another talent hunt for the young ones Amul Star Voice of India Chhote Ustaad. Two of the chhote ustaads — 14-year-old Aishwarya and 13-year-old Anvesha have already bagged their first playback singing contracts in Bollywood.

ProducerAmul Star Voice of India Chhote Ustaad Gajendra Singh says, "It's no drama or an artificial soap, it's meant for the people to relate to and a platform for them to come and showcase their talent on."

The competition is stiff, and the pressure mounting from fans who vote, the near and dear ones who want to share the spotlight and the media that hounds.

At this training academy, the young ustaads are doing their best to hit the right note with their voice, to win the big prize, as they're somewhere still trying to hold on to their innocence.

Contestant Amul Star Voice of India Chhote Ustaad, Anvesha Dutta says, "I don't know how to answer questions related to money, I'am not so big, in fact I'am too small to think about money."

Contestant Amul StarVoice of India Chhote Ustaad, Aishawarya Majumdar says, "After being a part of this show, I feel I'm not as kiddish as I used to be."

Although it's a game of numbers a point to think about is who is the winner at the end of the day — the young children, who bag huge prizes and age beyond their years in three months, never to find their childhood again. Or the adults working and bringing out a new formula for competition each week to capture few more eyeballs.