Hyderabadi hero Hemachandra has been ousted from Sa Re Ga Ma. While Vinit cornered about 28 lakhs of the audiences' vote this week, Hemachandra lagged behind with 22 lakh votes.The race is now between Debojit and Vinit. The programme's producer and director Gajendra Singh says the show received a whopping recording-breaking 1 crore 25 lakh SMS in the audiences' poll section. Once again Debojit has topped the audience poll this week, with nearly 40 lakh SMS from the Eastern region (Assam, Bengal, Bihar) alone . "It's a serious problem," says judge Aadesh Shrivastava,"The motto behind Sa Re Ga Ma Pa was supposed to be 'Aapki Choice India Ki Voice.' But how can it be the nation's voice when one sector corners all the votes for one candidate? I'm worried." But Gajendra Singh seems fine with the regional tilt. "As long as it's the public's will, how can we question it? Debojit is a very fine singer. Both Debojit and Vinit are equally worthy of winning the finals."

On Thursday's episode, when Tabu was seen as the star-guest, the audience poll on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa hit an all-time high Tabu, a keen student of poetry and music, was bowled over by the quality of singing. "She reacts to the lyrics and poetry like a true artiste. Her rapport with fellow-Hyderabadi Hemachandra was instant," says Singh.

On Friday we saw Subhash Ghai back on the show for the third time in a row, this time with his Shaadi Se Pehle leading man Akshaye Khanna who not only participated with the participants but also sang Nahin saamne tu from Ghai's Taal.

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Eventhough Sa Re Ga Ma Pa finalist Hemachandra stunned the nation with his rendition this week, he has been eliminated from the grand finale. And, if you think he's depressed, then think again.

"I feel I've come a long long way. And my performance on Friday night was not a defeat but a new beginning," he says from his home town Hyderabad. "I'm coming to Mumbai in a week and yes, I want to pursue my career very seriously in Bollywood. In fact, I'm seriously thinking of buying a flat in Mumbai. It's the only way I can make the city my home."

After this week's performance, Subhash Ghai who was the guest-judge, promised to give Hemachandra a chance to sing for Mukta Arts. "That announcement right before Mr Ghai read the slip announcing my ouster, came as really pleasant surprise. It showed I had made an impression, and he cared. That was really nice of him. The appreciation and praise that I got after being eliminated this week, showed how far I had come since the show started."

Hemachandra's career seems to have taken off in unexpected ways. He's recorded a track for Subi Samuel's Alag and is about to record a whole score with his mentor Aadesh Shrivastava.

"So I'm far from defeated. I'm a positive person. I look at Sa Re Ga Ma Pa as a major step forward. I went all the way to the Top 3. And I am especially happy because I'm the first South Indian to go all the way to the finals," says Hemachandra.

He admits the fact that people in his home territory do not watch Hindi channels went in favour of his competitors Debojit and Vinit. "But people have started watching Sa Re Ga Ma Pa in Hyderabad only to watch me."

As for Debojit's overwhelming support from his home territory, Hemachandra is mature enough to say, "Every mother loves her child the most. It's natural for people of the East to love Debojit the most. Nothing wrong in that…I miss my Sa Re Ga Ma colleagues. I'm coming back to Mumbai. I'm aware that my diction and pronunciation need working on. I've already started taking Urdu classes. I'm going to work really hard, that's for sure."

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Whether it's a awards function or a film premiere, the Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh is always up ahead to encourage cheer and applaud. It therefore came as no surprise to the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa team to know that Mr Deshmukh is an avid fan of their show.

The two finalists Debojit and Vinit trotted off to the CM's residence on Friday evening where they spent a good half an hour and came back entertained enlightened and impressed.

Says Vinit, "It was awesome. He didn't behave like a politician or VIP. He was so warm and helpful. Debojit and I sang one song each for him. Debojit sang Madan Mohan Saab's classic Tum jo mil gaye ho(Hanste Zakhm) while I sang Ismail Durbarji's Ae chand teri chandni ki kasam from Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya."

Adds the Sa Re Ga Ma producer-director Gajendra Singh. "You know he said such wonderful things to Debojit and Vinit. He seemed to know the show well. He had even seen the stress among the judges, and he told the two boys that they should be happy to have gurus who cared so much for them. It was a wonderful experience."
Now Debojit and Vinit are preparing for the grand finals , to be telecast live on Feb 24

Vilasrao Deshmukh's pic from Sify.com

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