If you thought the recent 50 Cent concert saw a magnanimous crowd foot-fall, the Amul Star Voice of India Grand Finale on 24 November was no less.
Music, rhythm, celebrities, quality singing, glitz, glamour and a huge, enthusiastic crowd at the Andheri Sports Complex in Mumbai; it had it all. The constant beating of drums, the yips and yells and the unanimous cheering could conveniently give 50 Cent a run for his money. A magnificent stage, aptly complementing the talented contestants was definitely a treat for the eyes.
The event was hosted by Shaan, regular host of the show and an ace singer himself. Lata Mangeshkar a.k.a ‘Bharat ki Saraswati’ as Shaan put it, graced the occasion with one of her rare presences. Even if it came across more as a barter-media deal, since she evidently promoted the ‘Swaranjali’ brand of diamond jewellery that she’s a brand ambassador for.
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Promotions seemed to be the order of the day as Mrs Madhuri Dixit-Nene, looking stunning in an orange sari, promoted her upcoming film, ‘Aaja Nachle’. Nevertheless, spectators jumped out of their skins as though heaven was raining gold on the arrival of these two stalwarts. To top it all, most female Voice of India finalists, dressed for the part, performed on hit Madhuri numbers from the past till the latest Aaja Nachle number. Good work, Yashraj.
The ‘bemisaal baarah’ belted out hits like the energizing ‘chak de India’track, the very slow and soothing ‘naina thag lenge’, each song and performance relished by the audience.
“Oh, I had a blast. The energy, the performances, the atmosphere were simply awesome. Paisa vasool!” remarked Deepti Shah, a spectator.
Fun was coupled with anxiety since uncertainty ruled the time at the event. Every person was eager to know who would win the much coveted first ‘Amul Star Voice of India’title and a three-year contract with Big Music along with a set of Chevrolet wheels. But no tinge of nervousness was evident in the voices of the two finalists, Harshit and Ishmeet. No wonder, since they so obviously lip synched their way through most acts.
No wonder also that they could dance to their bones without any errors in their renditions! Yea, never mind.
They did put up a good show eventually. While a few in the audience kept reiterating Harshit’s name, a few others cheered for Ishmeet. And although Harshit received relatively more votes from South, East and West India, Ishmeet made an outrageous breakthrough from the trail, courtesy the votes he received from North India. And was thus declared the winner. Yes, Ishmeet Sodi is the first Amul Star Voice of India. The jury award for the best singer was given to Abhaas while the Aadesh-Vijeyta foundation awarded Abhilasha for being the best female singer in the competition.
While few of the people looked overjoyed, a few others looked disappointed. While few smiled, a few others shed a tear. But everyone present was undoubtedly amazed at the grandeur of the event. A “grand” finale, indeed!
