By:
Upala
KBR,
Mid-Day
Monday,
September
17,
2007
Director
Farah
Khan"s
cook,
Basant
Prajapati
is
an
ex-
Indian
Idol
contestant
(2005).
He"d
come
to
Mumbai
to
become
a
singer
but
in
stead
ended
up
as
a
cook
in
Farah"s
house.
The
director
recalls,
“After
his
audition,
I
had
a
chat
with
him
and
told
him
that
he
wasn"t
the
best
of
singers
and
I
asked
him
not
to
waste
his
time
and
to
pursue
something
he
was
good
at.
He
told
me
he
was
a
cook,
and
I
asked
him
to
come
to
my
house
and
cook.
He
has
been
here
since."
Prajapati,
who
is
from
Jharkand
and
has
been
with
Farah
for
two
years
now,
says,
“I
always
wanted
to
be
a
singer.
I
entered
the
Indian
Idol
contest
in
2005
but
was
eliminated
after
the
third
round
after
being
told
that
I
sing
very
badly.
Bahut
kharaab
laga.
I
was
shattered.
After
the
show,
Farah
came
to
me
and
told
me
that
I
have
to
practice
a
lot
on
my
singing.
She
asked
me
what
work
I
did.
When
she
heard
that
I
was
a
cook
she
took
my
interview
and
gave
me
a
job
in
her
home."
Learning
is
the
key
Prior
to
the
Indian
Idol,
Prajapati
was
cooking
at
a
hotel.
“The
Indian
Idol
contest
changed
my
life.
Farah
told
me
'beta
kuch
seekhoge
toh
kuch
ban
paaoge.
She"s
supported
me
tremendously.
Farah
gives
me
leave
for
my
singing
classes
as
well
as
once
a
month
for
auditioning
at
other
reality
shows.
I
am
learning
classical
and
Hindi
film
songs.
I
have
tried
Zee"s
Sa
Re
Ga
Ma
Pa
this
year.
I
go
for
my
singing
classes
thrice
a
week
from
3
pm
to
5
pm
to
rehearse
with
my
guruji
SK
Rajan
at
MHADA.
Farah
also
always
makes
it
a
point
to
introduce
me
to
her
music
directors
when
they
come
over."
Today
Prajapati
wants
to
record
a
song.
“My
guruji
has
told
me
that
I
have
a
good
voice
and
that
it"s
time
for
me
to
record
a
song.
I
am
a
struggling
singer
today.
I
have
been
regularly
going
to
all
the
music
directors" studios.
Guruji
wants
me
to
compose
and
sing
a
song
in
Hindi
and
sing
a
bhakti
geet."
No
complains
Prajapati
says
his
employers
Farah
and
Shirish
Kunder
have
been
very
patient.
“Every
night,
I
do
my
riyaaz
from
12
to
1
am
on
my
harmonium.
I
must
be
disturbing
them
with
my
singing
but
they
never
complain.
Farah
has
given
me
a
small
room
to
practise
in."
A
big
Himesh
fan,
for
some
time,
he
tried
to
sing
like
Reshammiya.
He
admits,
“I
used
to
sing
like
Himesh
as
I
liked
him
a
lot
but
then
people
told
me
mein
naak
se
gaana
gaata
hoon,
so
I
stopped.
My
favorite
singers
are
Kumar
Sanu,
Udit
Narayan,
and
Kishore
Kumar
so
I
sing
like
them."
Prajapati
has
watched
the
TV
promos
of
Farah"s
Om
Shanti
Om.
“I
love
them!
Main
Hoon
Naa
is
my
favorite
film
and
Shah
Rukh
Khan
my
favourite
hero."
Presently,
Prajapati
woos
guests
at
the
Khan
house
with
scrumptious
Yakhni
Pulao
and
other
treats
but
his
ultimate
desire
in
life
is
to
become
a
good
singer.
“I
want
to
get
noticed
by
people.
I
can"t
do
anything
else
as
I
got
polio
in
one
leg
when
I
was
a
child.
My
parents
are
poor
farmers
in
Jharkhand.
I
have
even
gone
to
Vaishno
Devi
aur
prasad
chadaya.
Main
ne
mannat
maangi
that
Mata
fulfils
my
dream."