A song and dance about nothing!

What is it with these singing and dancing competitions on channels like vijay TV? The 'super singer junior' or whatever it is called, is absurd. Simply because, you are testing CHILDREN on their singing skills based on FILM songs. If this alone were not bad enough, you have these parents of the contenders CRYING with the stress of waiting to find out whether their child made it; acting as though their lives depended on the outcome.

I am all for singing competitions. But this is going too far. I blame the parents for their immaturity and for what? For a film song! At least if it were Classical or Folk music, it is understandable because we are culture-oriented people. This is complete dilution of our rich culture. Call me conservative but kids ought to be guided the right way and this is not it. Especially because, many of the film songs have inappropriate words for a ten year old to be belting out (although, I have to say, these kids are immensely talented with the actual singing) and the songs also have unsuitable vibes like romance and even lust. Even now, as an adult, I would cringe with embarrasment if I had to sing some of the songs those kids sang from the films.

Why can't people see this?

Today I happened to be flipping channels and came across this dancing competiton (thankfully for adults) -- Jodi No.1 or something on Vijay TV. Again, so frivolous -- dancing to film songs. As if it is not enough that the filmstars even, look a tad foolish doing the actual song sequence in the movies but that at least is part of what they DO in a film besides acting. Sure they want to put 'any which' talent out there. But, where is all the importance classical music and dance deserve? Dancing to a Vijay or Simbu number, HMPH. But even that in itself is Ok. For fun...'chumma'. But then getting emotional and hyper about the 'judges' decision is atrocious. Tears of joy or sadness / disappointment are also quick to follow. Hello, people...is THIS REAL TALENT?

Where is all this going?

To the dogs, where else? !

Jaya TV's SPB show is rather better. And all those on Sun TV , etc. (the ones you get Sunday mornings) are also acceptable - but just about. Sure, classical can get heavy and is not as glamourous or 'fun' as the film songs but there is also an in between that's almost dead and gone and which deserves a mention - folk music. Folk music is part of the rich Indian culture too and anyday better than the ridiculously worded songs of today's films. Please, bring it back -- better than the sicko film songs being churned out.

I am sure the Americal Idol kickstarted this trend in India. But we must remember that those were not CHILDREN who competed and withstood those judges' (one judge in particular) caustic tongue. We are teaching our kids rubbish again and again. Er, no, what do I mean by 'we'? I mean 'YOU', the parents of those children in that competition who had to face some super-smug one-song-is-my-claim-to-filmy-fame judges.

Besides, what IS the actual caliber of these judges anyway? ARGH. Let me not get into THAT now. Enough said ...I think;)

Hey, some one has said I am caustic in my blog. I not like that word. Are my complaints not genuine?? But the comment has set me thinking...in my fervour to get some cribs out of my system, I have forgotten some funny anecdotes and some interesting ones as well that I should also definitely share...coming up then... next time.

Cheers!