MUMBAI: While Kumar Sanu has had a four-decade journey as a singer, it’s for the first time he would take on the judges’ seat in a national reality show. He has been a guest judge for a couple of shows but would make his debut as a full-time judge with Indian Idol 13. 

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Recently, the singer mentioned how it has been a ‘long wait’ for him, which makes him excited about the stint. He also added how he was left amazed at the kind of talent these shows have.

Calling himself a ‘flexible judge’, Kumar Sanu said that his objective is to never hurt the other person. “Kisi ko direct nahi bolta hu (I don’t criticise directly) as I believe in encouraging young talent. Even when they are bad, there is a way to put across your views. You never know what could hurt the other, how they would handle it, so never discourage anyone,” he shared.

When asked how important are reality shows for a music professional in current times, the singer replied, “I don’t know about the importance but it has definitely become a part of our profession now. Apart from connecting with audiences, it also helps us to keep our legacy alive and pass that to the new generation. People want to learn from us, understand how we work, and through these shows we can pass our learnings to the young singers.”

In recent times we have seen a section of the audience believing that actors and singers who decide to do television lack good work in their kitty. These shows not only give a long-term work association but also good money. 

As we discussed the same with Kumar Sanu, he laughed, “22000 gaane ke baad yeh koi bolega toh main kya bolu? (If someone says this after I have sung 22000 songs, then how do I react?) I am here on merit and I really choose to ignore such comments. No one knows how much work I did in the last 40 years and how busy I have been. I really laugh at these comments.”

In an earlier interview, Kumar Sanu mentioned how ‘gossip sells on reality shows’ and ‘more gossip means more TRP’. Now that he’s a part of the same, we wondered if he still believes the same. 

“Whatever be it, talent is the most important factor on these shows. It’s a singing show and one needs to sing well first. The rest, be it gimmicks or acts that are part of the entertainment program,” he shared.

Breaking some more myths, the award-winning singer added that nothing is also scripted by the makers and there is no favouritism. “I have always believed that if you are good, nothing can stop you. I know people have these assumptions because some shows do it but trust me, I am here to only judge talent,” he concluded.

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Indian Idol 13 is set to start from October 7. Apart from Kumar Sanu, the show will be judged by Shreya Ghoshal and Vishal Dadlani, while Hussain Kuwajerwala will return as the host.

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Credits - The Indian Express