Anu Malik, the judge of Sony's Indial Idol 5, is confident that the talented 17 singers got this time will make the going very competitive.

While he appreciated the talent of this season, Anu Malik at the same time created a stir of sorts by indirectly admitting that contestants of the previous seasons of Idol might not have been up to the mark. The talented music composer and singer who has been a part of this highly popular Sony singing reality show right from its inception said, "Media would often complain that contestants could have been better.  These comments could hurt, but as a person, I appreciate constructive criticism.  Hence this time, we judges took it up on ourselves to make sure that the current lot really fits the tag line, Desh ki Awaaz".

This is very important for a show like Idol which has been popular for the quality of its singers. "I have really taken pains. Apart from the normal rigors of auditions, I went for pre-auditions to colleges in Rohtak ( a small town in Haryana) and malls where lakhs of folks turned out.  The idea behind this was to hunt for the best of hidden talent. This hard work has definitely paid off as the current lot of 17 singers will blow your mind away. This time I am sure the voting audience will really find it tough to decide who to vote out, as all are so good", said he.  This very big revelation had the media interested which then threw up the question of X factor, which was a defining factor in all the previous seasons.
   
Anu replied, "While the need to look good is important, what I am looking for this time around is just plain singing. Our choice of Swaroop Khan is indicative of what we are saying.  He is a folk singer who has no connection to Bollywood and style. He has retained his traditional Rajasthani attire as well." 

Co judge Salim Merchant also supported Anu and said, "I don't want to comment on previous seasons, as I was not a part, but for me V factor (voice and versatility to sing different genres) is most important. I have requested the channel and production house to focus only on the voice of the singer and not on how he or she looks".

Reporter and Author: Anil Merani