ISS, what a mess

I have almost stopped watching Idea Star Singer 2008. ISS is loaded with crap this season.

The list of lousy things you are getting this year -

1. The show has become some kind of a soap opera or the typical Malayalam serial that millions in Kerala or all over the world watch. It has crying and lots of it and most of it for no reason. Judges cry, the audience cries, Ranjini cries and the participants also cry. One of the poorest duet performances was for the song "Enthinu Veroru Suryodhayam". The original is one my favorite songs and it was butchered on ISS. On the show one of the participants who is visually impaired (female) was on a wheelchair and the male doing favors for her as though she were his lover as implied by and play-acted upon by the song. The audience and judges were wooed by the shit the two were doing on stage that left everyone crying. I ran away from the T.V.

2. Organizers of the show can convert the show into a match making business. Participants in duet songs are made to show chemistry, emote and what not. So hapless participants have to look into each others eyes frequently, one of the most embarrassing thing someone can do, play-act or pretend perfect love and such. Judges frequently and unabashedly comment on how a participant looks. So where's the music?

3. Judges seem to be awarding marks either too lavishly or too poorly.

4. The clapping is edited and inserted and perfectly phony. Every clapping scene from 2007 is the same in volume, duration and probably no. of claps too.

5. Guests like Suraaj (I have great respect for his mimicry) and Kalabhavan Mani (i have respect for his humility) are not actually entertaining on such shows. Suraaj was taking the participants for a ride and Mani was taking the judges for a ride. Sharath was sportive to react jokingly when Mani indirectly called him a "Chekuthaan".

6. Finally Ranjini adds unnecessary laughing to her list of painful activities on stage. More guessing and mathematical games abound.

Not that there is no talent but they are all overshadowed by the hype and melodrama that is going on.

Somadas is emerging a likely hero in the footsteps of Sunny in the last year competitions but he is better than the sympathetic vote winner of ISS 2007. Vivekanandan and Prashob could be hot favorites. Parvathi among the girls has originality but something magical and original needs to be in ISS 2008 for me to become a loyal viewer. It was nice to see 2007 winners and participants but ISS need to rescue itself before the viewing audience starts dumping the show.