Saturday, August 29, 2009

Now, Super Star 2 on Amritha to thwart Idea Star Singer Season 4

So much bad programming on Idea Star Singer that I only watch it bits and pieces these days. There have been some good performances but considering how many "cringe" moments I have to put up with it, ISS isn't worth it. The bus conductor Anil and did perform some good stuff. Many a time I though the judges were going too far in interfering with the personal lives of the contestants. The poor contestants are being bullied and can only play subservient to these judges fearing they'll be thrown out. I watched in a video how a 10 yr old on "Britain's Got Talent" tell Simon, "I am not obliged to answer that question". Even President Barack Obama mentioned in his appearance on the Jay Leno show that running the White House is like American Idol, except that every one is Simon. Imagine an ISS contestant saying such a thing to a judge here. For the kind of questions M G Sreekumaran and Sharath are asking it is high time someone actually showed some attitude telling these guys to go take a hike.

Meanwhile Super Star 2, the successor to Super Star Global has begun on Amritha and as usual going great guns. I watched performances there that I have never seen in the entire history of Idea Star Singer. Here is one.



And another lovely one that same day by Lekshmi Sree.



Even the song selection is superb. Lekshmi performed a song from Vikram's upcoming "Kadhaswamy" which was yet to be released. That was something so refreshing from the repetitive and boring songs of ISS. The audience participation on SS2 was something unseen to this day on ISS. Judges going gaga over a performance? Why not? As Joe Black says in the movie "School of Rock", Where's the passion man? and why not let it show?

While I still prefer the old host at SSG, the new girl is way better than Ranjini on ISS though she too has a tendency to speak more English.

I did watch Roopa perform a lovely song on the show.



But it is so sad to watch her these days sitting in the audience behind the judges and cheering the participants. Annu Jose who was knocked out of ISS Season 4 from the very first elimination round is here on SS2 and so is Nikhil from ISS 2007.

8 comments:

Minu said...

Thanks for sharing Lekshmi's video...I was moved and had tears in my eyes by the time it was over...Everybody out there is so passionate about music...I love the way the SSG judging panel carries out their job...they are euphemistic and not cynical to the core...The same performance in ISS would have called for a lot of comments where she went sharp, off key blah blah...

I just started watching ISS Season 4...I'm not particularly fond of the competition but I like the swaralayam segment...the other day I heard this Aryanand Murali sing 'Marakkumo poomakale'...One nice song from Chakkaramuthu which has music by M Jayachandran...Listen to it in Raaga...it has both Yesudas's and Sujatha's versions...Refreshing to hear Das...

Minu said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Minu said...

Another interesting thing...It was the same Alphonse Joseph among the judges who created my first email address and taught me how to use the internet a decade ago when the internet explosion happened... :D

Minu said...

I like the guy on the key board, Stephen right? The best thing about SSG is their simplicity...

Subash S L said...

Hey Minu, thanks for the comments. I didn't post the comments and marks video part for Lekhshmi's performance where Jaychandran was in tears and so were many others. It was really moving.

Didn't know Alfonse was someone who taught you all that. Are you still in touch. He made some good songs too.

By the way watch my new posts.

Minu said...

Yeah I watched the comments and marks video in YouTube. I was overwhelmed.

murali said...

hellu Subhash,

read some of your interesting blog entries. Was a bit surprised that you have not written about Amrita TV's super star junior 2 and amazing talents there. Did you miss it (I dont think thats possible :)? But if have, then please see these..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XoKZKobBQQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45sAi5LdXIA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bUIdFnTnSc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG4cZ5DH6nk

this is just a few. Iwas dumbstuck by all these talents..

Subash S L said...

Hello Murali,

Thanks for the links. Though the kids are talented I don't spend time or have time for them. I prefer judging senior singers. So the let the children grow up.