New "couples singing" show on Zee TV

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

New Delhi(UNI): A new talent hunt show where nine "singing couples" will vie with one another to recreate the old magic of the Lata Mangeshkar-Kishore Kumar and the Lata Mangeshkar-Mohammed Rafi duets begins telecast on the small screen this week.'Ek Main Aur Ek Tu', a singing talent hunt show seeking to choose from among nine groups of boys and girls, the couple having the best "singing chemistry" between them, will launch on Zee TV on Thursday.

Unlike in the recently-concluded 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2005', where the best singer was chosen based on solo performances, 'Ek Main Aur Ek Tu' will have contestants singing duets, from which the couple with the best ''chemistry'' between them will be chosen as the 'Ek Main Ek Tu Jodi'.Judging the contestants in this unique show will be the Colonial Cousins, Hariharan and Leslie Lewis, whose points to the contestants will, along with the votes of the audience, decide the Best singing couple.

The show will be hosted by singer Shaan, who also anchored the 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge, 2005', along with MTV VJ Ishita Arun.''Since it is a show judging the chemistry between two singers, there could not have been better judges for the show than singers Hariharan and Leslie Lewis both of who share a crackling chemistry,''said Senior manager, Channel promotion at Zee TV, Sanjay Banerjee at a press conference here last night to promote the show.

Speaking at the press meet, singer Hariharan, who was present along with his partner Leslie Lewis, said,''Judging solo performances is different from judging duets. For, in a duet, both singers have to sing well as a group. So the judgement of the Best singing couple will be on how well they sing in unison rather than on their individual performances.''

Addressing reporters, the creative head of Zee TV, Vivek Bahl said the show, to be aired on Thursdays and Fridays at 2200 hrs, will have nine couples performing duets, including eight groups of boys and girls who contested in the 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge, 2005'. ''A unique feature of the show is that unlike other talent hunt shows, where the ultimate winner is chosen solely on the votes of the audience, in 'Ek Main Aur Ek Tu', the winner will be chosen based on both the votes of the judges and the audience in the proportion of 40: 60,''Mr Behl said.

''This voting pattern will ensure that if the judges feel that a talented and worthy couple is being voted out by the public, they could, through their votes rescue them,'' Leslie Lewis said.Asked why he associated himself with the show, Hariharan said,'' Over the years I have keenly followed the 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' talent hunt show on Zee TV, which pioneered the concept of such shows on television. What I liked about them was their emphasis on the talent of the singer and the quality of singing and their stress on the 'right sur'.'' Mr Bahl denied that 'Ek Main Aur Ek Tu' was being launched by Zee TV in the wake of the Fame Gurukul show on Sony.

''We are not following Fame Gurukul. In fact, our programme 'Sa Re Ga ma Pa' was there on television much before the Indian Idol and the Fame Gurukul shows on Sony,''he said.Speaking about the new show, Mr Gajendra Singh, Creative Director, 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa', said,''as in all competitions, Challenge 2005 could have only have only one winner claiming the voice of the India title. And the success of the show with solo performers was immense.''We thought duet performances could only add more sheen to the already established equity of the show. The contestants of the show, (having already appeared in Challenge, 2005) have become a household name and viewers will love to see the duo of their choice paired opposite each other,'' he said.