Abhijeet Ghoshal Warns on the Dangerous Trend of Overhyping Contestants on Singing Reality Shows: False Confidence Can Mentally Destroy a Person
Reality shows have long been a staple of Indian television, especially singing competitions. Over time, they have faced criticism for being overdramatic and often prioritizing scripted emotional stories and high TRPs over genuine musical talent. Abhijeet Ghoshal, a renowned Bollywood playback singer and winner of 11 seasons of the hit reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, recently spoke about the harsh truth behind singing reality shows and how they have shifted from music-driven platforms to business-focused productions.
Recalling his own experience on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Abhijeet explained that the competition was intense and truly music-focused.
“We had to shoot three episodes in a single day. That meant we sang around 12 songs in one day and hardly three of those were our own choice. The rest were decided based on the next contestant and mostly by the judges. If the next contestant was singing a certain song, we had to sing the antara of that same song. We would get only 20 to 25 minutes to learn three completely new songs and then shoot everything the same day.”
He added that the judges set extremely high standards.
“Naushad Saheb, Khayyam Saheb, Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, Rashid Khan, OP Nayyar, Vishal Bhardwaj, their expectations were so high that you had to give your absolute best. That was the real test of a singer.”
Abhijeet highlighted how reality shows have evolved.
“Now things are different. Amazing talent still comes, but contestants only have to sing one song a week. Publicity and popularity elements are much bigger. In every other episode, you will see a contestant saying, ‘My mother works as a maid,’ ‘My father pulls a rickshaw,’ ‘My parents polish shoes,’ and so on. The stories feel repetitive and the audience can sense something is off.”
He pointed out the shift in focus from music to emotional angles.
“Earlier music shows were actually about music. A good singer would advance on merit. Now it is about whose mother is sick, whose family is struggling, whose tragedy is bigger. The whole concept has changed. Earlier everything was music-driven. Now it is market-driven.”
Abhijeet also cautioned about the risks for young talent.
“Another very dangerous trend is when people casually say, ‘Arre, according to me he sang very well.’ That poor kid from a small town hears this and thinks, ‘Wow, I am better than great singers.’ This kind of false confidence can be mentally damaging. It is extremely dangerous.”
Today, Abhijeet continues performing across India, blending devotional music with Bollywood melodies. He recently won the Clef Music Award for Damroo Bajaye, and his self-written and composed Khatu Shyam bhajans are set to release soon on T-Series.