Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Marathi Li’l Champs – disappointing end

I’m usually quite critical of reality shows in general.

The “realism” in many of these shows is often staged, taking us TV viewers for fools. There are scripted encounters/fights/arguments and the all too predictable sob stories and “heartwarming moments”. There’s also the usual disclaimer from judges while announcing names of eliminated contestants about “It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it” 😛

The other issue I have with reality shows is about kids being either asked to a) sing and compete with others beyond their age-group or b) dance or sing to songs inappropriate for their age; whether in meaning or movements.

When Zee Marathi Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Marathi Li’l Champs was telecast, I pretty much had the same reaction to the initial episodes. Over the past few weeks however, my watching frequency increased and I actually enjoyed watching some of the performances. The repertoire and range of these young kids was superb.

As this competition drew to a close, five contestants were vying for top honours. Arya Ambekar, Rohit Raut, Kartiki Gaikwad, Prathamesh Laghate,  and Mugdha Vaishampayan, each one at their very best. There was a buzz among people that the award should be shared among all five.

However, as we watched the finale or ‘maha antim pheri’ on Sunday, there was a sense of disappointment. The songs themselves were not up to expectations and certainly not in sync with the kids’ voices. Then, they announced Kartiki Gaikwad as the winner.

No doubt she was good, but it seemed a bit unfair. Personally, I thought Arya Ambekar and Prathamesh Laghate were far superior in their vocal ability and had a wider range. The organisers of the show could have kept public sentiment in mind and declared all of them as joint winners. Rare, but has happened before.

Anyway, what’s done is done.