Is Idea Star Singer a Malayalam Programme?

After actress Sheela commented on one of the perfomances today I was reminded of an article I wanted to write long ago. I wanted to do it when Roy, the CEO of the Confident group was giving away the award for the Idea Star Singer winners of Season 3. He commented on how ISS being a Malayalam programme had contestants singing more Tamil, Hindi and non-Malayalam songs. Much to his vexation, the contestants were singing Tamil songs even on the awards ceremony. Sheela's comments on today's show about why cannot Malayalam "adi poli" songs instead of Tamil songs be sung went un-answered.

Contrary to these programmes in similar competitions in Tamil contestants do not sing even one non-Tamil number. In fact they are not supposed to do so. Only in the non-Tamil or Other Languages round can they sing songs made in other languages.

ISS need not be as stringent as the Tamil programmes are but if the organizers want to call ISS a Malayalam show then they must curtail the songs being sung in other languages. The same goes for similar such shows on Asianet and other Malayalam channels too.