Shankar, Shaan set for Maha Muqabla

Singers Shankar Mahadevan and Shaan talk about facing each other on reality TV show Music Ka Maha Muqabla on Saturday. Here's what they have to say.

‘People like freshness’

Shankar Mahadevan is an “anxious” man these days. One of India’s most prolific singers, Mahadevan has been competing with other leading singers in Star Plus’s music reality show Music Ka Maha Muqabla for the last three months. Come Saturday night and he’ll face singer Shaan in the grand finale.

Talking to HT City, he says, “I’m excited and anxious. The kids have worked really hard and it’s important for the team.” His team comprises budding singers Rahul Vaidya, Sharib Sabri, Sanjeev Kumar and Neetii Mohan.

HT Image

The show has been a great experience, says Mahadevan. “We meet a few days before, decide the song list, and have a blast. Rahul and Sharib are a riot to have around.” The singer-composer is also happy with the changing Indian music scene. “People like freshness today. The music of Karthik Calling Karthik and My Name Is Khan was different, but did well.”

Mahadevan, who “doesn’t understand the audience’s voting criteria” on reality shows, says his high-energy acts and jugalbandi are extempore. “You can do this when you’re with great musicians. It’s all in the moment,” he says.

‘Point system is amateurish’

Playback singer Shaan is “very busy”. For he knows battling Shankar Mahadevan is no child’s play. “We’re very excited for the finale. And there’s still a lot to be done. One thing’s for sure, we will keep the entertainment quotient high,” he says.

The dimpled singer’s team, which got the highest viewer votes throughout the show, comprises Harshit Saxena, Anweshaa Dutta Gupta, Debojit Saha and Shadab Faridi. Shaan calls it a “complete package”. “But when it comes to live performances, there’s scope for improvement,” he says.

Shaan, known to be affable and calm, came across as aggressive on the show. Defending his behaviour, he says, “To be honest, I reacted to the situations because it was needed at that moment. I know reality show participants who scream and create hype for no reason, but that wasn’t the case here. I can’t be thinking of public image all the time.”

Shaan, who feels “the whole point system is amateurish”, will get back to working on his upcoming album post the show. “I have few live shows coming up and my new album will be out in two months. It’s too early to share details,” he says.

Navdeep Kaur Marwah