Media-shy Gajendra Singh welcomes the show's new wave of popularity. "When we decided to revamp Sa Re Ga Ma Pa into its new format we had one basic target in mind. The contestants should have direct access to the composers so that their ultimate destination - film singing - would be apparent to these hopefuls from the time they enter our contest. That's why we got a whole range and spectrum of composers - from the classically inclined Ismail Durbar to the beat-oriented Himesh Reshammiya to the melody-motivated Jatin-Lalit and the all-rounder Aadesh Shrivastava - to serve as judges. I'm happy and proud to say these judges have taken the talented contestants under their wings and groomed them into a kind of stardom even before they pass through the winning post. One of our finalists Vineet has sung all the songs for Zayed Khan under the supervision of Himesh Reshammiya for a film Rocky." The threat from Sony's twin contests Fame Gurukul and Indian Idol looms large over Sa Re Ga Ma. But Gajendra isn't the least bit intimidated. "I feel they on Sony have copied us. But their focus isn't on singing. It's on face value. I've been doing a musical talent scouting contest since 1994. I virtually grew with my channel Zee. You'd be shocked to know what kind of money I'm offered by rival channels to join them. But I feel abandoning Sa Re Ga Ma would be like orphaning my own baby." ****

He dismisses Sony's twin tune shows. "Indian Idol is all about marketing and glamour. I can't see Qazi or any of the other winners on Fame Gurkul acquiring the durable fame of our contestants like Shreya Ghosal, Kunal Ganjawala and Shaan. Their star-contestants like Rahul Vaidya and Prajakta were on Sa Re Ga Ma first. Maybe they were lured into the other shows by the prize money and the promise of recordings… Well, let me tell you our 12 Sa Re Ga Ma Challenge finalists have already been signed for an album by Sa Re Ga Ma HMV. Besides, they're being absorbed by the judges who are in a position to give them breaks. I've more than 10 years of experience in this field. I can recognize talent in budding singers. I'd like to feel our show gives them a chance to really come into their own."

A lot of watchers feel Sa Re Ga Ma Challenge focuses too much on the bickering and coochie-cooing of the star-judges. "That's going to change as the show reaches its grand finale," promises Gajendra Singh. "Now the focus is going to be on the singers."

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Anchor Shaan will remain unchanged though. "Why should he want to leave, and why should we? Shaan is so endearing. He's been with us for four years. And look how he took over from Sonu Nigam who people said was irreplaceable."

In about three months, Gajendra Singh also returns with Zee's other TRP-booster Closeup Antakshari. "I can promise you it'll be bigger and brighter than before."
For some strange reason John Abraham bit into Akshay Kumar's shoulder while talking to Cyrus Broacha on MTV's Big Picture. Maybe John was hungry. Maybe he needed to sink his teeth into a good role (and mistook his co-star's shoulder for one). Maybe John has a peculiar way expressing his warmth to male co-stars.

There's one warm lady who I welcome on TV. "And now I'm returning to my Gujarati roots," smiles Asha Parekh. "The Gujarati serial Akhanda Saubhagyavati, which I'm producing, goes on ETV Gujarati this week. It's a proud moment for me. I've always felt my work and my art should keep me close to my roots. There's a myth that actors do regional films only when they're on the way up or way out. That's such a parochial attitude. Latabai who's our greatest, has sung in so many Indian languages. If Lata can do it, why not Asha?" she jokes.

… And reveals how even at the peak of her career she acted in three Gujarati films. "My first Gujarati film, coincidentally called Akhanda Saubhagyavati was a smash success. That was 40 years ago when I was really busy with my Hindi film career. Not once did I think I was going to compromise my career by doing a film in my own language."
Akhand Saubhagyavati will be the third Gujarati serial produced by Asha Parekh. "I had produced Jyoti for Doordarshan which was a kind of landmark for regional television. Then I did Nari Tu Na Hari for ETV Gujarati… And now I'm back with a new daily."

Asha will neither direct nor act in her new serial. She's also going full-steam ahead with plans to make a Hindi serial with an army background for a major channel. "But right now it's my Gujarati serial which excites me. Earlier we made the mistake of undermining television as a medium. Today we're making the same mistake by undermining regional cinema and television. Look at the reach of Bhojpuri, Bengali and Tamil cinema. TV too is has a niche significance. There's room for programming in every genre and language. The sooner we realize it the better."

"I must say it was a good experience," says the host with the most Amitabh Bachchan about the latest celebrity special on KBC, bringing together the iconic Sania Mirza and Lara Dutta.

Revealing details of the unexpected synthesis of sports and cinema, Star's COO Samir Nair says, "We've got Sania and Lara together as a Children's day special. Why these two? Well, Sania needs no justification. She's a youth icon, and though she's the queen of endorsements, she needs no endorsement. Getting her on the hot seat was a challenge, and we proved equal to it. We needed a spunky spirited woman of today to complement Sania on the hot seat. Lara fitted the bill perfectly. She's young articulate and intelligent. They're very, very watchable together. Both Lara and Sania represent the spirit of youth and are role models for kids this Children's Day. Like Sania, Lara started very young. She became Miss Universe when she was in her teens. Ask Mr Bachchan, Lara and Sania are dynamite together."
The Children's Day special to be telecast on Sunday 13 November, has many interesting interludes, not only with the two star guests but also with their respective families.

Says Nair, "Sania's father is on the show along with her mother and sister. Everyone always wanted to know what Mr Mirza is like. Mr Bachchan finds out for us. AB talks quite extensively with Sania's dad about many subjects including her money."

Sania's dad reveals how expensive it's for the star-daughter's entourage to be carted from one international venue for the game to another.

"But the best part of the show is the chemistry between the two ladies… very, very appealing."

How much prize money do the dynamic duo finally obtain? No one's telling. But Sania and Lara apparently go up to the 1 crore prize, and then lose money by giving the wrong answer.

Star has at least two more celebrity specials lined up this season on KBC. Hrithik Roshan will appear with Priyanka Chopra, and if all goes well, we'll see Abhishek on the hot seat with the mega-anchor in the grand finale of KBC. But for that, the junior Bachchan needs to get over his nervousness about the experience.

Shah Rukh Khan's pic from: www.planetbollywood.com

(The views expressed here are those of the author and indiantelevision.com need not necessarily subscribe to the same)