JOIN USShe has always been the best icon for fusion music. Wearing a perfectly creased saree with a trademark bindi on her forehead, she danced her way to glory with the song Ab ke sawan aise barse. The other number — Seekho na nainon ki bhasha piyaa from the same album brought soothing tears to the otherwise romantic ambience. And her strong rendition of all songs she has belted out, made her reach an almost iconic status amongst her fans and foes alike!
Shubha Mudgal, classical singer turned pop-star turned reality show host is back in television as a judge in a new show Mummy Ka Superstar on Star Plus. She has already gained a lot of popularity amongst the participants and audience for her caring nature. While she is strict when the situation demands, she also guides the child prodigies softly and helps them nurture their skills.
Why another reality show? Don’t we have too many of them on television today? “After Popstars, which I judged few years back, this is the first time I am judging a reality show,” says the dignified singer. But why Mummy ka Superstar? “Oh a number of reasons. Firstly, this is a show being produced by Fazilla and Kaamna who have been my managers for a long time. They wanted me to be part of this show and I could not say no. Secondly, I liked the concept of the show which brings out the talent of children with support from their mothers. And last, but not the least, there is very little SMS voting in this show and talent will rein supreme,” explains Shubha. The concept of SMS voting, as we have seen in the past, had led to many controversies including people being paid to vote for certain contestants.
Mummy Ka Superstar is a show featuring child protégés from various television shows. In this show they team up with their mothers and fight it out with their fellow contestants. In total, 12 talented kids from the age group of 10-16 years have been shortlisted and they will be groomed by experts, along with their mothers, as they live their dream of making a debut into the world of entertainment.
Doesn’t this promote more competition in an already fiercely competitive world? “While I agree there will a bit of competition, this being a contest, I do not think this will promote unnecessary competition. On the other hand, the mothers will be able to bring in a lot of cooling factor to the stage. It is not about outdoing each other. It is about helping one’s kid to perform better. Having their mother on stage, will automatically help them perform much better,” explains Shubha when asked about her decision to judge the show.
Don’t we have too many reality shows for kids today? Participating in these shows — which demand 24x7 availability and staying in Mumbai, affect their studies and in turn their growth. Isn’t this a known fact? Shubha agrees to this and says that Mummy Ka Superstar will have minimal impact on a child’s studies. “One main reason for saying yes to this show was the timing. A large part of this show will be shot during the summer vacations and thus will have minimal impact on a kid’s studies,” says the caring judge.
While on the topic, the singer also clarifies that she is against shows which put too much stress on ‘performance’ and ‘looks’. “I am not too keen on shows where music takes a back seat and how you have a makeover becomes all important. I feel as long as these shows remain a vehicle to showcase and improve your musical talent, it is fine. It should be more about talent and less about fame,” explains Shubha.
It’s been a long time since an album from the singer hit the shelves. Though she sang a song in Ramchand Pakistani and 1920, there has not been much activity on the singing front. Any reasons for this absence? “The only reason is the way I look at my career. I am not a singer who is driven by numbers. I don’t feel insecure if I do not record a song every week. Plus I am not too much into singing filmy songs, though I have sung some,” says the singer whose basic albums have always been a rage amongst the youngsters.
The way she has been able to blend her coarse voice with soothing classical tunes, is exemplary and few vocalists have been able to manage that. This comes from her inherent interest in music from different parts of the country and abroad. As a result, she has been participating in various events related to fusion music. Shubha, along with her husband also organised a three-day event in Pune called ‘Bajaa Gajaa’. “It brought together various forms of music of today. It was a meting point of film musicians with classical artistes. However, there could have been better representation from all parts of out country. It was a good attempt,” confesses Shubha.