[Discaimer: Those of you who are new to my blog, please read the entiries before this entry. The posts follow a reverse order so you would have to read the previous one's to keep the flow. Thankyou ]
“Would they like me??...would they talk to me??...would they think I have too much attitude just ‘cause I’m an NRI??...would they???”
This was what kept running in my mind the morning we had our very first grooming. Dad and I stayed at the hotel accommodation provided by AmritaTv. In the morning they had asked us to be ready by 7:00 and apparently a bus would come to pick us contestants up. Dad & I were ready and we went down to have breakfast. That’s when all the other contestants began appearing one by one. Only the girl contestants were in that hotel. The boys were apparently put up at some other place.
A tall, lean girl came up to me…smiled and said… “Hi! Ende peru roopa, entha peru? Ellaavareyum parijapedande?” Phew! I let a sigh of relief. As I finished introducing myself and getting to know a little about Roopa chechi, another girl came upto me and she began talking to me in English…and boy some polished English she spoke!!! Her name’s Divya, I had noticed her during the auditions thanks to her strikingly unique voice! She seemed like a smart and intelligent lady! The third person to talk to me was Teena. But once we intro’d ourselves I realsied that she is a little quite. Or maybe she is not comfortable talking away on the first day itself! Hehe!!
After waiting for an hour the bus finally arrived and took us to the AmritaTv studio in Karumam. Nice big studio it was. And that’s where we met the guys. Once there I saw Sruthi and Jeetu and then with them I began talking to the others…or trying to rather! J
Anand then came up to me and asked me if I had taken part in Indian Idol….oh kay…someone knows me!! Yay!! I was soo happy! J We spoke for a while and then this other lad came up and asked me where in UAE did I stay. I told him Sharjah and he was like.. “Hey I was there to ofor a while till 8th grade….do you know Lata aunty? She taught me music there..”… I was like “WHAT??? Lata Murli aunty??? Of course I know her.. we’re really good family friends!!” Wow …what a small world!! Oh by the way that young lad’s name is Deepak.
All of us were then taken in the bus to Kovallam, Udaya Samudra Beach Resort. That’s where we were going to be briefed. I was still yet to find out the names and other details of soo many more people. Well god alone knows how long I’d be with them so the sooner I get to know them the better! Hehe!! We had about an hour’s gap before briefing. So all of us ate and while the parents were busy talking amongst themselves the contestants were interacting with one another. I felt bad leaving my dad alone for a while ‘cause he also was new to the place but he didn’t mind! Sruthi and I walked up to this group where Anand was trying to make a few others sing a harmony. We also joined in…it was fun!! We were singing the AmritaTv anthem… lokah…samastah…sukino…bhavantu…! Each of us singing in parts! Anand and Deepak I had spoken to but the girl and the other boy I had just found out their names… Oh god!! I forgot.. what was it again? Yea.. Latha…and Praveen. Latha seems like a pretty talkative girl…but Praveen…hmmm…hard to tell…is he shy? Or does he think too much of himself?? Well too early to say anything…let’s wait and watch!
After the wonderful briefing we were taken back to the studio. Oh and we got the bad news that Swathy had to back out due to the clash between shoot dates and her school schedule. I kind of expected it ‘casue she had told me about it during the time we met for the 2nd auditions. I felt bad though. Was really looking forward to meeting her. And Kavita was taken in place of her. Then Akash, that sweet Bengali boy from Bangalore was also brought in as a wild card entry! So now we were 21 of us!
Once back to the studio the parents were asked to leave while we began our grooming session. While we waited for George sir to arrive all of us began talking to each other again. That’s when I found the names of all the other participants. Didn’t get to talk much to them since I was all the time with Sruthi and Anand right in the front of the class…yea we had chairs put up like we were in a class room and unlike the usual case this time we front benchers were making the maximum noise! J Hehe!
Our first day’s grooming with George sir went off really well!! He spoke to us like we were his close friends and made us feel extremely comfortable. Told us about all his experiences and shared some real valuable tips to help us improve our singing. He heard each of sing individually and analysed the way we sang it. Due to time constraint he could just hear a para but still the tips he gave all of us were awesome!
The we were waiting for “the moment”…..a glimse of Stephen Chettan!!! My heart was pounding!!! No jokes!! After a year of going “gaga” on his performances on screen…I was actually going to see this dude…forget see…I was going to be singing to his music!!!! WOOOOOOWWWW!!!!! AM I EXCITED OR WHAT?????? All the girls were going crazy while all the guys laughed at us! Ok he’s handsome so they were a little jealous I guess…hehe!! ;-)
We queued up for our turn to practice with him. I went in and saw him…the on and only Stephen Chettan. He looked up…smiled and asked me.. “Etha paatu?”… I was like.. “Eh?? Entha?” .. and kept giving those cheesy star-struck smiles! Then our Producer Sateesh ettan asked me again which song I was going to sing and I told him “Raakendu Kiranangal” . Apparently Stephen Chettan hadn’t heard it. I started singing and then he kept saying “Ah..ha… “..and “oh ..ho…” throughout and once I stopped he was like.. “what a composition!” … I smiled…thanked him…he wished me luck and I walked out again with that cheesy smile on my face! I saw Anand giving me that “how was it “ smile.. and I just said “ Man…HE is the most simple and down-to-earth…humble guy I have ever seen!!”… I’ll always treasure my first encounter with this musical genius!! J
That was the end of the first grooming session. Each of us kept listening to our first songs and yea… we got to know our singing order for the shoot…I was singing 1st !!! OH NO!!! great!! I was thinking to myself..”Don’t they want people to watch this show?? Why on earth am I going first???? Can’t the put someone else!!!”.. Well then dad was like.. the earlier you get over with the song the better.. atleast you don’t have to face the tension of listening to the others sing and then creat expectations in your mind!! Yea.. He was right.. it was better to get over with it!!
The melody rounds began…and week after week each of us got pretty used to seeing everyone every weekend and then went back to our respective homes during the week to practice. We just kept singing…judges came…judges went… we attended grooming…and every week we kept seeing the 21 bright ..talented faces! Until reality dawned… elimination week was nearing…
Every week Sateesh ettan used to give us the good news that no one would get eliminated that week. But then towards end of August there were rumours that The coming week there was going to be an elimination….and what was worse… not one person btu 2 people were going to get eliminated.
Time for a reality check guys…this is a relity show after all…and we can’t stick on to one another forever now can we?? Hmm…best thing was not to think about it. I tried my level best to keep the tension off everyone’s faces and minds. Little did we know that a really wonderful event awaited all of use before the week of elimination…..what was that???
Coming up in my next entry: Onam Live Show’s experience….the highs and the lows of that night will be out for all of you to read….just be little more patient…Hehe!! J
Hope all of you were with me…
Until my next entry….Keep smiling & Keep browsing!!!
Adios!
SSG (space) Rashmi
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