'Reality show is not a boxing match'

Lyricist Prasoon Joshi of Rubaru Roshni fame talks to Anil Merani about his new role as the judge of a reality TV show.

Lyricist Prasoon Joshi of Rubaru Roshni fame talks to Anil Merani about his new role as the judge of a reality TV show.

What's your take on Dhoom Mache De?
It's a unique concept. Never before have talented singers vied for success in a reality show.

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Singers competing against one another.. won't there be ego clashes?
That's the whole point.. viewers love drama.

As a lyricist, how would you rate the contestants?
It would be very wrong on my part to grade any artiste. This is not a boxing match with only one winner. Every creative person has his signature style. And that's just as well, because it would be boring if we all sang the same raag.

Come on.. you're being diplomatic.. give us one clear favourite. Things are so fluid on such a show that it's hard to make judgements. One singer might sing well today and tomorrow, may be out of sync and out of the competition.

Do you believe that reality shows can be rigged?
Cricket matches face the same charges. All I'll say is, watch out for our show.. it has some great moments. What are you looking for? The ‘wow' factor.. something that appeals to the heart and mind.

Some judges are far too harsh and rude.. will you be hard to please too?
Certain people are aggressive by nature. I won't be harsh but that doesn't mean I'll be lenient either.

You think viewers voting in is a good thing?
Reality shows thrive on audience participation. But yes, they do suffer from regional bias.. there's nothing we can do about that. Viewers are bound to have their likes and dislikes.

But most reality show judges disagree with the viewers' choice.. I know. I may feel the same way a times. But ultimately, it's the public that goes out and buys a CD. They have the right to pick who they want to listen to. A good singer is not ne essarily a popular singer.

Do looks matter?
Of course. TV is an audiovisual medium, so presentation does matter. You watch them perform, you don't just listen to the singers. If that was the case, we would have stuck to the radio, right?