#14: My Farewell...

[Discaimer: Those of you, who are new to my blog, please read the entries before this entry. The posts follow a reverse order so you would have to read the previous one's to keep the flow. Thank you]




I knew it was coming…call it instinct if you’d like. A lot of things than were happening to me that entire week told me I was going to be out next. Seriously.

The week after Sooraj was out my performances and I was criticized like never before. Right there on stage in front of everyone. That itself gave me some negative vibes of what was comgin ahead of me. Then after weeks and weeks of making Rahul Chettan (our Production Manager) go behind the accounts department for my Ticket fares, I finally get it in hand. All at once. I was like…ok…I guess I’ve become too expensive for them now…hehehe! [people…theses are purely my assumptions ok…:-) ] Then I took a looot of time to select my solo song for the next week, and for the first time I selected something that I was not all that comfortable with …I have no idea why!

Then we had a grooming session with Shyam sir after a long time that week, where he asked us what problems we faced. And Anand and I were the only ones to open our mouths. I told him all what I felt was a problem for all us contestants in general. After that session my doubts about my elimination that week got stronger. Praveen & Anand told me to shut up and that I had no better work to do…but I still felt like this time my gut feeling was going to happen.

That was the first elimination week I had someone from my family to watch me perform my sweetheart of a cousin sis, Rohini. The last time my family (dad & mom) came to watch an elimination round on Indian Idol …I fot eliminated…so again I assumed the same was going to happen. Rohini was almost going to slap me when I told her that!

By the time I had finished singing my first song on that shoot day, and knew I was in danger, I just confirmed it my mind that this was it Rashmi…get ready to say Bye Bye to this stage! I even sent a message to my dad telling him that my trio performance for that day would most probably be my last performance there…truly last!

I was just gearing my self up for that part of the evening. I sang Randaka (my last song) with my fellow danger zone buddies, Subin & Amal. I had sooo much fun on that song!!! I guess I just wanted to give it my all. Oh …and one more thing the dress I wore for that performance, that green Kurta…that was the dress which I wore for my one and only stage performance on Idol…coincidence huh? :-)

Then shyama chechi called us. One by one every one else on the danger zone went back, Sub ingot the life line and then it was just me and my best buddy..Anand. I was like…damn this is hard…what if I don’t get eliminated and Anand goes out….Oh my God no..I won’t be able to take that either…in fact I’d rather take my elimination than his!! While all this went on in my head Shyama chechi announced my name. And I gave that “I knew it”: smile :) …well I did ...didn’t I??

Best part was my elimination speech, something I had been preparing for weeks. I was only 3 sentences through it and the great current in the studio goes out for like 10-15 minutes. Now you know why no one was crying for my elimination? 'Cause all of them got ample time to wipe their tears off...Hehehe! :-)

I have never made sooo many friends in so little a time in my life. No….not friends…they are now literally an extension to my family. And to think initially that I would be treated as an outcast (remember?). I was so wrong about what they thought about me. I have so many memories that I can cherish for life with all of them. They have changed a lot about me…my personality. I have even bettered my Malayalam with staying in TVM and conversing with all of them in my mother tongue! :-) And am I glad or what!!

For about a week or so I was in a hangover of SSG. Obviously…it suddenly hit me that I was no longer going to see all those faces I kept seeing week after week for so many months. I just got so used to it…I didn’t ever think that I would have to stop seeing them after some point. Only when you’re out of something that you truly loved would you realize what you miss. And trust me…I did feel jealous of all of them when the dance rounds started. It was my dream last year that I also would sing with all those dancers behind me on that stage…too bad it didn’t happen while I was still on the show….ah..by gones are by gones!

I miss you guys!! :-( …I wish each and every one of you the very best of luck for all your endeavors….and keep my spirit alive when ever you guys perform!!!!! :-)

I now leave all of you to enjoy the pics I clicked during my last few hours on that lovely set with my lovely friends…..

(some of the pics are out of focus and most have the red-eye...I know..bad phtography..but I really didn't have the time that night to adjust the settings on my phone :-( sowey! )

That's our dear producer...Sateesh Ettan

Our ever-loving and genious of a guy...Stephen Chettan..Mis you!

With my new found big bro...Ratheesh Ettan!

Mis this bugger...Praveen!

With my two nautankies...Subin & Amlu!

Jeetu mere Lal...mis you dear!

Sweet little dracu..hehe..yea that's what her friend's call her! :)

Laddu Kutti!!

Teena dear...

My faaav...Roopa chechi..Mis u sooo much! :-(

Kala Chechi...don't forget me!

Mis my chirpy Anand!!!

The lovely Sujina Chechi who supports us off stage.

And the ever-smiling Shyama Chechi who supports us on stage!

Coming up next: Amul Baby…



Till then Keep Browsing & Keep Smiling! :-)

Adios!!

SSG (space) Rashmi

#4: Onam Sandhya...Live & Exclusive!

[Discaimer: Those of you, who are new to my blog, please read the entries before this entry. The posts follow a reverse order so you would have to read the previous one's to keep the flow. Thank you]




I had mixed emotions that week. I was happy that all of us contestants were together for Onam, celebrating…(even though the hotel sadhya was AWEFUL!!)…singing…and just having fun! But I was sad ‘cause my entire family was together at Palakkad enjoying my Achamma’s delicious food. Everyone, my dad’s brothers, their families , my cousins…everyone was there except me! :-(




Hmm so all of us were gathered at the rooftop of the hotel we girls were put up at. We had no idea what we were supposed to do. What songs we were going to sing. And also what exactly the show was all about! The only thing that we knew and were excited about was the fact that it was going to be telecasted LIVE!!




After a looong wait…and chit-chatting Sateesh ettan and Shan chettan came up and told us the songs we would have to prepare. Most of them were Onam songs, some popular ones..and some unfamiliar ones. I was lucky to get a song I knew and I was not alone…Kavitha chehci & Divya were with me. We got “Sasikala Chaartiya” from Devaraagam. I love that song…I had danced on it coincidentally for an Onam program back in dubai about 11 years back! Cool isn’t it? :-)




For two days all of us were busy preparing and practicing our songs and also helping other groups with their songs. This was where I got talking to a lot more of the contestants. Akash, Amal, Prasobh, Charu, Kavya, Sajla and Praveen. I enjoyed Amal & Prasobh’s company. They were the youngest…the “bindaas” types…and with Amal’s non-stop nonsense…you can never be gloomy!! Hehe!




On the eve of D-day we found out that the Super Dancer Finals were being held at the same auditorium where we would be performing the next day. We begged Sateesh ettan and Sujina chechi to let us go!! After a whole lot of persuasion they finally gave us the green signal…arranged for passes and we left for it. Well not all of us though… Roopa chechi & her dad, Prasobh, Amal, Rateesh ettan, Praveen, Anand, Kavya & her dad, Divya & her mom, Latha and later we were joined by Kala chechi (Latha’s sis) & her mom. We had fun cheering the dancers…yelling for our favourite dancer numbers…oh and clapping ahrd when the LCD projector screens showed clippings of SSG ads!!! We were the only ones in that auditorium who clapped for that ad…hehe!!! (Ok that was not funny rash!!). We had soooo much fun that night! Not everyone stayed till the end. Since Latha & I were not going back to the hotel and we had to be dropped at our respective homes (me at my uncle’s palace) we waited till Anand (the only guy who lives in Trivandrum and has a car!) left the show. Praveen, Amal, Prashobh & Rateesh ettan also stayed back. By the time Prashant was declared the winner…the crowd went hysterical and we felt it would be better if we left immediately or else we would be stranded amongst that huge crowd!! All in all that night was super FUN!! For that time I completely forgot that I was unhappy in the afternoon for not being with my family in Pgt!!





Next day all of us were excited and nervous. We were prepared with our songs but since we were not going to be in our cozy studio but in front of hundreds of people watching us sing…it was a bit scary for a few (and I speak for the majority). I personally was waiting to go out onto that stage ‘cause I love performing in front of huge audiences. That’s what gives me energy!! :-)




One by one we sang our songs…and well the show on the whole was not all that great..infact it was just average. I was glad my song went off well..and everyone said that the 3 of us, Kavita chechi, divya and I had great chemistry an we performed the song well! Thank God! But the general audience watching us back home…said they had to strain their eyes and concentrate hard on not changing the channel… hmmm too bad!! Well can’t blame anyone …it was the “first-time-ever-live-audience” performance for many…and you can’t expect us to learn the lyrics, the tune, and perform songs that we have never heard before within 2 days!! Ah any ways…by gones are by gones!

Take a look at this pic...I love it...something that I am going to treasure! It has all 21 of us..and you can actualyl makeout now how much some of us have changed...physically!! Don't ask me how though!! hehe!

Well… that was that. Onam Live got over. We were very happy with the show…enjoyed every minute of it…both on stage and off stage! Oh and the next day my trip back to palakkad was also one of themost memorable train journeys. I left with most of them in the early morning Parasuram express. And boy!!! Was that train crowded or what!!! We had fun …sitting squeezed by each other..and having people standing in between our legs as well!! Hehe…. What a sight it was!! I couldn’t wait to get back and tell everyone about the wonderful time I had that weekend!!



I hope you guys enjoyed with me as well!! From my next entry I would take you through my time with each of those friends who bid farewell to the show..one by one… down my lovely memory lane….!!



Stay with me folks!!



Coming up next: My experience with the little darling and the beautiful dame of SSG…



Till then…Keep smiling…and Keep browsing!! :-)



Adios!



SSG (space) Rashmi

#2: One journey merging another...

As soon as I was done with II3, I had to rush back home to sit for my exams. Can you believe it I landed the morning I had my very first 4th end semester exam! I studied in the flight…no jokes!!God alone knows how I did that paper…when I walked into the examination hall I had all my classmates staring at me with the same expression on their face… “WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE …AND HOW IS SHE GONNA WRITE??” yea …well have to admit…no matter how busy I get with my extra-curricular activities I’m always on time to attend my exams!! And so far God has been kind to me and has giving me a helping hand through all my exams! Thank you God!! I love you for that!:-)



So like I was saying…I was just barely out of my Indian Idol hang over when my friend Nasreen tells me about “Super Star Global” and that they are holding auditions in Dubai for the 1st time and all that. Dad & Mom also re-iterated the same. Even though my instinct told me a “no more of theses!” I still wanted to go for it ‘cause I had always wished I was on that stage after seeing the super stars perform with Stephen Devassy….now Stephen Chettan on Amrita TV!



I decided to give it a shot. 22nd June were the auditions. I went in and saw George Sir & Gayathri Chechi smile at me. I sang “Dekh le” first…and after that laughter bit George sir asked me …”my dear…what did you just drink?”.. Hehehe!!! Then immediately I sang “Ennu varum nee” and Gayathri chechi looked impressed and within seconds I got the yellow card (I mean white & pink in this case!! Hehe). Well people please don’t think I am boasting or anything but I had kind of anticipated that I would at least clear the first round Auditions. And yea… when that happened I was kind of happy! :-)



Next stop was Trivandrum. Kovallam Beach Resort, 24th of July. And what a CROWD!!!!! Everyone there, were with mp3 players plugged to their ears and doing their “riyaaz” extensively. For the first time in my life…I got so scared! Not because I thought that I would not get selected (yea that was what came to my mind when I saw them itself!) but the fact that by chance…if God thought me worthwhile to deserve such an opportunity…then I would have to deal with these serious people??????!!! Oh My God!!!



The first day of the 2nd audition went off quickly. Dubai contestants went in first so I finished off pretty early. They had asked how many of us would be having trouble staying over for 3 months during the shoot of the show in Trivandrum itself, and the 1st hand to shoot up was mine. I told them I had college from September so it would be difficult to constantly be present. And they put a mark against my name on the list. That time itself I had thought to myself that they would not be selecting me. Simple!



Oh and how can I forget…my first ever friend on SSG was a person whom I had met and interacted for 5 minutes in Mumbai during Indian Idol… Jitendra Nath….yea most of you would have forgotten that’s his name… hehe!! Jeetu!! He came up to me and we spoke to each other and wished one another good luck. Apparently he felt I didn’t deserve to be out of Idol….but well..that’s another story!! Hehe!



Coming back… yea after my auditions (which most of you would have seen on TV…the one where Shyam sir, Shan Chettan, George Sir & Jyolsna were the judges) I came down and by then my mom had already gotten friendly with this very sweet aunty, named Sujata. Her daughter was also taking part. And once we got talking we had a few common friends in the family. They were settled in Trivandrum and her daughter had just finished 12th and was at that time planning to do Civil Engineering. Can you guess who that could have been? :-) ……Sruthi Jayaprakash! Once we began talking she seemed to be a very nice girl. Her audition was postponed to the next day so we wished her luck and bid farewell.



Another friend that I had made…well we just smiled at each other on day 1 and I told her that she sang really well for her 1st auditions…her Malayalam accent would never let out that she studies in America! A very sweet looking and ever-smiling girl… Swathy!



The next day I came just to have some fun. Seriously! I was so prepared not to be selected I brought my “HP & the Deathly Hallows” so as not to get bored. We waited all day for the results. Meanwhile I saw the camera guys and Shyama chechi following different contestants to get their bites for the show. They even came to where Swathy & I were talking and asked us what our anticipations about the result were. And yea we gave the usual… hoping for the best…(although I had already assumed and was sure of what “best” laid before me!)



Finally it was time for the results and trust me when I say this all of us contestants and our family members were squeezed together in a small area (actually huge but small for the enormous number that we were!) trying to get a peek at what’s happening at the centre. I’m sure some of you remember that scene where Shyama chechi was making all of us sing and dance…remember?



Sudhakar sir, CEO of Amrita TV, Shyam sir, George sir, Shan Chettan & Jyolsana came down after their 3 hour long discussion to select 20 contestants from around 170! They began calling their names and I was eagerly looking at who all were being selected. ‘Cause if any of my friends got selected then I could proudly say “I know her/him”!! Just then they announced Jeetu’s name. Boy!!! Did I make the people standing next to me deaf or what with my scream!!!!! I was clapping so hard for him…he deserved every bit of it!!! Cool….that’s friend number one!



They had called around 4-5 other names and then they called out Registration number 12… and I was like..”why does that number sound familiar?”… And then I heard my name…!!!! “Shit!!! I got selected????” I went and stood next to Jeetu and he was sooo happy that there was someone whom he knew among the 20! Hehe!



After 2 more names Swathy was called out and then Shruthi too! Wow! How cool was that!! All my friends got selected! And then I looked around if there was anyone else who got selected from dubai. You know familiar faces. But no. Again I was like!! “Shit!! I’m the only one from dubai?” God knows why I felt this huge sense of responsibility at that time. Among all 18 of us who got selected from Dubai, only two people seemed happy about my selection, Mithun & Vijay. The reason why I said this was none of the others came and wished me luck. And when I tried to look for some of them they had vanished. So well…that was the first ‘hit’ I got. I thought to my self… “Hmm all of their friends and families chances of supporting me (votes) on this journey are very less…ah well who really cares?! Dad n mom is enough for me!”



All 20 of us were briefed about the journey we were about to begin and asked to appear for our first grooming sessions about 2 weeks from then. We had a very brief interaction with the selected contestants. But I really can’t call it an interaction since the only other person I interacted apart from the people I knew was Anand Narayan from Bangalore. A smart young lad indeed.



Well we wound up and then I began passing this news of me getting to the final 20 of SSG to all my friends and family members! I was soooooo excited!!! Seriously even for Indian Idol I wasn’t so excited. I guess it was the fact that the stage I dreamt singing on last year was actually going to happen for real!



So that was my first step to this journey…. Hope you guys were with me entirely….and I hope my “bragging” didn’t bore any of you!! Do tell me if I did! Hehe!!:-)




Coming up next: Interaction with the top 21….yea there was an addition…who and what will be uncovered in my next entry…


Till then … keep smiling and keep browsing!:-)



Adios!


SSG (space) Rashmi

#1: Welcome Welcome Welcome!!

No no….don’t worry…you’re not reading a review of Akshay Kumar’s latest Movie…you’re very much on the page you’d like to be…SSG…My Way!!



As promised I am going to share with all of you some of those cherished moments with each and everyone at SSG….point to be noted… my take is purely on “Off-stage” happenings…and I would strictly refrain from personally commenting or hurting anyone’s feelings…be it the contestant’s or even the ‘respected’ judges! ;-) [Yea!! I know a loooot of you are more interested in the latter!! Hehe…sorry folks! Don’t wanna dig my own grave!]



For those of you who have read my earlier blog on Idol would already be aware of my “style” so to say…for all my new readers I extend my heartiest greetings to you people for having taken a few precious moments from your busy schedules to read my “blab la bla”ing!!  I am truly hounered!



Ok enough of all that “formality” now let’s get to business here!!



Over the next few weeks you I am hoping that all of those who have watched/are watching the show will have fun getting to know about my time with my friends on SSG!



To all my entries…please feel free to comment because, like I keep learning in media, feedback is essential for our every move!!


So once again…enjoy your time reading through!!


Adios!

Rashmi…. Nah this sounds like any other Rashmi right? Now I’m gonna make my own signature sign off!!


SSG (space) Rashmi (howzzat ??!!)