Indian Idol is a popular singing competition show in India that first aired in 2004. The show is part of the Idol franchise created by Simon Fuller, and it follows a similar format to other Idol shows around the world. Indian Idol aims to find the most talented and promising singers in the country, giving them a platform to showcase their skills and achieve their dreams of becoming a successful singer.
The show is open to singers of all ages and backgrounds, and it features a panel of judges who provide feedback and critiques to the contestants. The judges’ panel has changed over the years, but notable judges include Anu Malik, Sonu Nigam, Farah Khan, Sunidhi Chauhan, and Vishal Dadlani. The show is hosted by various popular TV personalities, including Hussain Kuwajerwala, Mini Mathur, and Maniesh Paul.
The competition consists of several rounds, including auditions, theatre round, gala round, and finale. The audition round is open to all singers, and participants must perform in front of the judges to be selected for the next round. The theatre round involves the contestants performing in groups and then individually, with the judges selecting a group of finalists to move on to the gala round.
The gala round is the main phase of the competition, where the finalists perform in front of a live audience and the judges. The audience and judges vote for their favorite performances, with the lowest-voted contestant being eliminated each week. The finale is the last round of the competition, where the top two contestants compete for the title of Indian Idol.
The show has been highly successful and popular in India, with many winners and finalists going on to have successful careers in the music industry. Some of the notable winners include Abhijeet Sawant, Prashant Tamang, Sourabhee Debbarma, Sreerama Chandra Mynampati, and Salman Ali. The show has also been criticized for being too focused on drama and entertainment rather than the actual singing talent of the contestants.
Having said that, Indian Idol is an iconic show in Indian television and has played a significant role in promoting and nurturing the country’s musical talent.
Indian Idol Winners List across All Seasons – Where are they now?
Indian Idol 1 (2004-2005) – Abhijeet Sawant: Abhijeet Sawant was the first winner of Indian Idol. He is a playback singer and has released several albums and singles after his win on the show. His 2005 album ‘Aap ka Abhijeet Sawant’ was a hit.
Indian Idol 2 (2005-2006) – Sandeep Acharya: Sandeep Acharya won the second season of Indian Idol. He was a promising young singer, but unfortunately passed away in 2013 due to health complications.
Indian Idol 3 (2007) – Prashant Tamang: Prashant Tamang, a police constable from Darjeeling, won the third season of Indian Idol. He later acted in a few films and continues to perform as a singer.
Indian Idol 4 (2008) – Sourabhee Debbarma: Sourabhee Debbarma became the first female winner of Indian Idol in season 4. She has since released music and continues to perform live.
Indian Idol 5 (2010) – Sreerama Chandra Mynampati: Sreerama Chandra Mynampati won the fifth season of Indian Idol. He is a playback singer and has worked in Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi films.
Indian Idol 6 (2012) – Vipul Mehta: Vipul Mehta won the sixth season of Indian Idol. He is a playback singer and has released music and performed live after his win on the show.
Indian Idol 7 (2016) – LV Revanth: LV Revanth, who later went on to win season 9 of Indian Idol, was also a contestant on season 7. However, he did not win the season as it was won by Vipul Mehta’s younger brother, Anjali Gaikwad.
Indian Idol 9 (2017) – LV Revanth: LV Revanth is a playback singer who has worked in Telugu and Kannada films. He won Indian Idol 9 after impressing the judges and audiences with his versatile singing style and ability to connect emotionally with the songs.
Indian Idol 10 (2018) – Salman Ali: Salman Ali is a playback singer who has worked in Bollywood films. He won Indian Idol 10 after consistently delivering powerful performances and earning praise from the judges for his voice control and range.
Indian Idol 11 (2019) – Sunny Hindustani: Sunny Hindustani is a singer from Punjab who comes from a humble background. He won Indian Idol 11 after winning hearts with his soulful voice and emotional renditions of classic Bollywood songs.
Indian Idol 12 (2020-2021) – Pawandeep Rajan: Pawandeep Rajan is a singer from Uttarakhand who has been trained in classical music. He won Indian Idol 12 after impressing the judges and audiences with his versatility, range, and ability to fuse different genres of music.
Indian Idol winners – Prize Money
The prize money for Indian Idol winners has varied over the years. In the early seasons, the winners received a cash prize of Rs. 1 crore (10 million) along with a contract with a music company to record their debut album. However, in more recent seasons, the cash prize has been reduced to Rs. 25 lakhs (2.5 million) and the winners receive other prizes such as a car, a house, and other opportunities in the music industry. Additionally, the exposure and recognition gained from winning the show often leads to numerous opportunities for the winners to further their careers in music.