Platform Ticket

Analysts say the scope of these shows —which began in 1996 with Sony’s kiddie extravaganza Boogie Woogie—is growing. ‘‘Initially, it was all about elite children. But then the participation went on expanding,’’ says Akhila Sivadas, director, Centre for Advocacy and Research. ‘‘Now TV has ‘massified’ beauty and glamour.’’

After forming music bands Viva and Asma, Channel [V] has come up with Get Gorgeous, a supermodel hunt, in association with Elite Modelling Agency. Post the announcement of India’s Best—Cinestars Ki Khoj, Zee TV got three lakh applications in the first 10 days for its nationwide hunt for new actors. Two winners will get a chance to pair with stars like Salman Khan, Preity Zinta and Sunny Deol in a film to be produced by Zee Telefilms.

Sahara Manoranjan is also playing star-maker with its seven-city audition for Mr & Miss Bollywood. The jury, comprising film-makers like Ashutosh Gowariker, Karan Johar and Mahesh Bhatt, will discover 30 actors, of which three males and three females will be given lead roles in Hindi films. The other 24 will get breaks in serials. Aspiring TV actors can also tune in to MTV, which has announced a contest with Ektaa Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms.

Even with so many of them following the path, TV channels don’t fear an overkill. Not yet. ‘‘There may be a lot of people trying to do it, just like cine awards and modelling hunts. But not everyone is popular, and only the ones with substance will stay,’’ says Sunil Khanna, president, Zee TV. Cyrus Oshidar, VP, creative and content of MTV, agrees that the concept has become as routine as Hindi film formulae. ‘‘We didn’t know there will be so many of them. They will just end up diluting each other,’’ he says.

While channels create hype about recognising talent, they also aspire to attract eyeballs. ‘‘It’s about cashing in on all kinds of viewership via different programming genres,’’ says Anita Kaul Basu, director of Synergy Communications, which is producing India’s Child Genius.

For MTV, besides broadening the audience, it’s about changing the programming format of the channel. After the talent hunt, it will start a prime-time serial, to be telecast three days a week.

But ultimately, do these shows lead anywhere? A successful Sa Re Ga Ma has thrown up just a handful of successes like Sunidhi Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal. The all-girl band Viva, which Channel [V] launched two years back with much fanfare, has disintegrated. Asma, the band launched last year, made even less noise. ‘‘Such shows provide a platform. Beyond that, the winners have to go and be with the rest of the world,’’ says Basu. Sivadas, however, says that these shows also work to give public acceptance or adult approval to the participants’ skills.

Former Viva member Mahua Kamat says TV gives you recognition. “And then, you can go on your own to get more work.’’ But she feels that too many of these shows seem like a rerun. ‘‘The response that we got was much more than they received the second time round.’’

Despite the overload, the channels are confident that there will be no dearth of viewers or participants. Says Oshidar: ‘‘In our country, everybody wants to be something—rich, famous or in the spotlight.’’

(With inputs from Mohammed Wajihuddin in Mumbai)