NEW DELHI: For a singer passionate about singing, it is always a dream to perform before legends in the world of Indian music.
No wonder then, for Delhi-based Mansi Bhardwaj, it was a dream come true to be performing before the trio of Anu Malik, Sonu Nigam and Farah Khan, the jury of the Indian Idol, who have returned for the season nine of the reality show.
For Mansi, who is among the four talented singers from Delhi to find a place in the top 14 in the current season, making it to the Indian Idol was a dream. “Now when I am living the dream, I am very happy. My journey from audition round till here (top 14) is very exciting and entertaining. The main attraction is that the jury is from the season one. They are legends for me. Facing them was a dream come true for me,” Mansi said here.
Nineteen-year-old Mansi, who has been passionate about singing since childhood, said she is interested in playback singing for Bollywood movies. Her tryst with the reality shows began with her participation in ‘Voice Of India’, ‘Chote Ustaad’ and ‘Chak De Bache’.
Mohit Chopra from Jahangirpuri, who is another contestant from Delhi, says that being selected for Indian Idol, has made his dream grow bigger. Twenty seven-year-old singer said he learnt singing from his grandfather and has been singing since then.
Mohit, who used to sing for a ‘Jaagran mandli’, sang ‘Tera Ishq Sufiyana’ during his auditions and impressed all the three judges instantly.
“I was given the ‘Golden Mic’ which ensured my entry directly into the top 24,” he says. Like Mansi, he too was passionate about singing since his childhood.
“Singing has been my passion since childhood. My family wasn’t that well off and so after finishing school, I started working so that I can support them. I used to sing for a ‘Jagran mandli’ before Indian Idol came in. After singing for ‘jagratas’ I realised that I can sing and started practising on harmonium. I experienced facing people from conducting ‘jagratas’ . My dreams have grown bigger,”he said.
Mohit hopes to fulfill his mother’s dream with Indian idol. “I will make my career in singing and I don’t want to copy any singer, but let the world know that it is my voice and Mohit is singing. ‘Indian Idol’ will give me an image and that will take me to greater heights.”
Eighteen-year-old Stuti Tiwari, the third singer from Delhi who have made it in the top 14, is the youngest of all contestants in the season. Stuti said she learnt singing from her father, who used to sing in his office annual functions. “I came three years ago in Indian Idol Junior, but got rejected in Top 20. But I took the failure in a positive way. Since then I am practising and this time will take the Idol.”
She belonged to Banaras gharana and is learning from Pandit Bholanath Mishra.
The fourth contestant from Delhi to have made it is a newly married girl from Delhi Manya Narang. Manya said her marriage seems to be lucky and she is fortunate that her career has seen new heights after marriage, which is not usually the case with girls in India. “It is a big platform for me. I started singing since at the age of four. My first public performance was when I was nine years old. The competition is very tough but I am trying to learn new things everyday.” Manya added that she is from Patiala gharana and is learning from Pandit Rajinder Singh. Earlier, she has learned from Gandharv Mahavidyalaya. (AGENCIES)
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