With
12 contestants shortlisted from both countries, the music reality show
takes off with special appearances from Ghulam Ali, Sajjad Ali, Hadiqa
Kiyani, Alka Yagnik, Ismail Darbar and Suresh Wadkar
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By Maheen Sabeeh
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Sur Kshetra, the long-awaited music reality show, has finally arrived. With Indian musi c
director/singer Himmesh Reshammiya leading Team India as captain and
pop star Atif Aslam doing the same for Team Pakistan, expectations from
the show were already sky-high. Unlike many other Indian reality shows
such as Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and Indian Idol, Sur K is different mostly
because it's not just another singing competition. It pits Pakistani
singers against their Indian counterparts. It brings together
heavyweight judges from both sides of the border, and it's being aired
in both countries, at the same time.
Shot in Dubai, the show looks slicker than your average Pakistani show - the stage was massive, filled with spectacular lights.
More
interesting is how the show has been promoted. It's not so much a
reality competition as it is a musical battle between India and
Pakistan. Even the tagline is suggestive: "Fateh Suro Ki, Jeet Sangeet
Ki”. When it comes to all things Indo-Pak, whether it's music or cricket
or hockey, the sentiment is always special, thrilling and a matter of
national pride.
Introduction to Teams India and Pakistan
A
total of 10 contestants made the cut for Team India from across India,
while 10 contestants were shortlisted from Pakistan. But as Team India
captain Himmesh revealed, the format of the show is such that only 6
will make the final cut. It must be said that the actual judges of the
show, Runa Laila, Asha Bhosle and Abida Parveen, have not appeared on
the first two episodes of the show and for good reason: to shortlist the
contestants to six for each team, a special panel was invited. Indian
singers Suresh Wadkar, Alka Yagnik and composer Ismail Darbar formed the
panel to shortlist Team India while Ghulam Ali, Sajjad Ali and Hadiqa
Kiyani formed the Pakistani panel.
The contestants…
The
Indian contestants hailed from all over India, from Mumbai, Kolkata,
Ludhiana, and Kashmir. Some were impressive such as Soumyadeep Sikdar
from Kolkata who sang 'Allah Ho'. Yashraj Kapil from Mumbai, who
performed a groovy version of 'Saawariya' was solid, as was Tamara K who
belted out a wonderful version of the song, 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram'.
Other contestants such as Diljaan, Aman G Trikha and Anurag Srivastava
performed well but didn't showcase complete command over notes.
Ultimately the six contestants who made the cut for Team India include
Buddh Aditya, Yashraj Kapil, Diljaan, Shahzad, Aman G Trikha and
Indrani.
Come
to the Pakistani side and it's an equally exciting singing battle.
Pakistani singers also came from all over. Aamir Ali chose to sing the
very difficult 'Dil Se' which prompted Atif to comment that he brought
the right amount of aggression to the song. Sara Raza Khan brought the
house down with her sheer command of notes which led Ghulam Ali to say,
“Humein bohat acha laga (We liked it a lot)”. Not surprisingly, Sara
made the cut for Team Pakistan's top six alongside Aamir, Nadeem, Imran,
Mualazim and Nabeel.
The captains… Atif versus Himmesh
Because
this is a show that pits Pakistani contestants against their Indian
counterparts, the feel of the show is somewhat nationalistic. It's a
matter of pride for Himmesh who doesn't shy away from admitting it. It's
a matter of pride for Ismail Darbar and Alka Yagnik, who kept reminding
contestants that it's a battle between Pakistani singers and Indian
singers so the level of competition is higher and they need to bring
their A-game to the show.
Reality
shows don't work through script. It's emotional appeal that makes such
shows stand out. With Sur K, the emotions are high for all parties
involved.
As
a captain, Himmesh was encouraging to his contestants but he was also
very animated throughout the show, and every time one of his contestants
found themselves on the sharp end of criticism from one of the judges,
Himmesh would often look upset. What is obvious is his level of
confidence in his singers and his team, and his desperate desire to win.
On
the other hand, Atif Aslam was cool as a cucumber. Throughout the show,
he had his poker face on, giving away very little as Pakistani
contestants took to the stage and sang their songs. Atif introduced
himself by opening the show with a rendition of 'Pehli Nazar' mashed-up
with Nusrat Fateh Ali's 'Sano Ek Pal Chain Naa Aave' and had the crowds
rooting for him. Compared to Himmesh's performance of a techno version
of 'Teri Meri Prem Kahani' off the Bodyguard soundtrack, Atif stole the
show with his soulful rendition. But then again, that could just be my
Pakistani bias.
When
Atif was asked by anchor Ayesha Takia about the level of obsession
between the two countries, Atif said, “We only have two passions:
cricket and music.”
During
the Pakistani performances, Atif was very encouraging to his team, and
was clapping for everyone, giving them a word of appreciation from time
to time. Indeed, there is pressure to deliver and both captains are in
the spotlight. On his part, Atif was exuding confidence without being
too cocky. When asked if Team Pakistan will give Team India a tough
time, Atif smiled and said, “Tougher than tough”.
Verdict
The
first two episodes of Sur Kshetra went off without a hitch, and without
any controversies. And that's because the two teams have yet to face
each other in the singing battle. It's no secret that Himmesh Reshammiya
is competitive. He has reality TV experience too, having appeared on
the reality show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge, another show from Sur
Kshetra
creator Gajendra Singh. Back then, Himmesh mentored a group 'Rock
Gharana' within the show and won it. He's back for more but if there's
anyone who can match his zeal, it's Atif Aslam, who simply said, “We're
coming India”, once his team was selected. On his part, Atif has seen
his share of singers, thanks to the locally produced reality show, 'Atif
Aslam Singalike' contest where Atif heard many singers imitate his
singing style.
Whether
Pakistani singers can challenge their Indian counterparts and vice
versa remains to be seen, but Sur Kshetra has all the right ingredients
to make for an entertaining show, so watch out!
Source = Instep 09-12-2012
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