Reality show judges play to a plan: Leslie Lewis

Ever since singing reality shows like Indian Idol and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa among others have become a rage, one big question that is always raised is whether the talent these competitions throw up is really good and can they become successful singers in their own right?

Renowned singer and composer Leslie Lewis who is now singing for an upcoming Bollywood mystery thriller says, “ Reality talent shows are about entertainment and not about finding real artistes. It is a different thing that in this process certain talents are discovered e.g .Abhijeet Sawant, but it is not in their (TV channels) business model to encourage art forms by way of their winners. They promise the winner that they might do an album with you but beyond that that they are more interested in getting the next find.”

Can you detail? “People confuse this game show with a music competition and think that they will find the best singer, but what it really throws up is only best singer of that particular show. Having said that some of the talent in the little kids’ seasons has been phenomenal, but what works against them is that they get exposed too early in life. Hence, when they get a little older and the new season starts, they find themselves completely at sea. For when they were on TV, they were hailed as icons but as time passes they feel ignored. Many of them called me as Sir and asked me as to what they could do since they were not getting any work. All this goes to show that they were losing confidence. They wrongly feel that the country has embraced them as the masses have voted for them,” he adds.

“The sad part is that in reality, one is only good for his/her talent and let’s face it that they may be good but are they the next Lata Mangeshkar,” the noted composer asks. “That’s something they also need to come to terms with,” the composer moans.

“Besides Abhijeet Sawant, whom I call a half artiste, which other finds of other talent shows have become real singer worth his/her salt? Undoubtedly, many winners and contestants are making money doing live shows, but they have not reached the artistic levels they could have or should have,” he observes.

Leslie also accepts that the judges on reality shows are not really being true as a judge would be. “They play to a plan and mind you, I am not saying that they are scripted but they are following a certain pattern. You will always have three judges among which one will praise you to the hilt, the second will lambast you, while the last one will follow a middle-of-the-road approach,” he informs.

Here, Leslie adds another caveat, “I am not running any one down, but you need to understand that am just vanilla judging that you are good and bad will not work week after week, you do need a certain masala lest the TRP drops.”