India’s Got Talent

India’s Got Talent

India's Got Talent has started with a bang on Colors. The show is all about entertainment and talent on stage and to boost the energy of the contestants, it has two handsome hunks as host, Ayushman Khurana and Nikhil Chinnappa.

In exclusive conversations, both the MTV VJ's talks about the talent in the show and till what extent people can go to get the fame

What is your role as a host in this show?
Nikhil: We are the story tellers; the one who is responsible for bringing out the stories behind the act of the talent. That's it this is what we do. I forget we also make sandwiches.

Ayushman: We are not just normal host- host but are acting as the friends of contestants to encourage and back them. We have total different roles to play in this show.
 
Were you present at the auditions that took place across the country?
Both: Yes we were and it was an amazing experience.

Nikhil: We would like to see all the people who came for auditions to get selected. Many a times there were disagreement between us and judges.

Ayushman: We use to give some comments and it was most of the times politically incorrect.

Were you emotionally attached to the contestants?
Ayushman: Well naturally were as it's our job. Apart from that it's natural and human to see some acts on stage which triggers emotions.

How do you handle the rejection of the contestants during the auditions?
Nikhil: There is lot of disappointment and sometimes people do expect rejection to happen as some of the acts are disappointing. We try to encourage them by saying that this is not the end of the road and they should always have a passion in them even if they don't have talent. Go and peruse that passion and then come back later.

Is there a pyramid kind of format with every week's eliminations and then a grand finale?
Ayushman: Obviously we have auditioned 1000 of contestants and have seen their acts. We have shot listed 194 from which 40 will be selected and again the best will be selected from them for the semi-finals and finals. Next two stage will be when the voting will select through votings.

Nikhil: It does actually have three layers, audition rounds then we have five semi finals rounds out of which the five finalists will be selected. The semi finals and finals are based on audience voting. In initial rounds they have to get through the judges and then the audience in the finale.

How different it is to host this show than your other MTV shows?
Ayushman: I think the only difference is the language, on MTV its English and Hinglish while on Colors it's Hindi. We are enjoying as this beat is totally different.

Nikhil: We get treated better on Colors, we have our own make up vans. It's interesting… (Grins)

Before going for the auditions all over the country did you guys were aware that India has got so much talent?
Nikhil: I was amazed, I knew India is a big country and has lots of different kinds of food and clothes that people wear. This was the question in our mind of what kind of talents we are going to find, do we really have. I have followed the show internationally (Britain Got Talent) and have seen their act and was like will we find that in Indian too?

Ayushman: India has got lots of culture and diversity in the country is amazing. In Delhi we have people performing Gatka where as in Chennai we saw people performing Kerela marshal art called Kalaripayattu. Though it is very similar forms but have their own touch.

Nikhil: In the beginning of the show I could not have thought that India has got so much of talent but now that we have finished the audition round it has been outstanding.

Which part of the country has amazed you most?
Nikhil: Well I think it would be Bangalore as I am from the place and feel that everything that has come in India (talent) is from Bangalore.

Ayushman: No it has to be Delhi. If you see the talents in the first episode they are from Delhi.

Nikhil: No its Bangalore and that's it.

There is a show called 'Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega', and is on similar line of India's Got Talent. So do you think that this can affect the popularity of your show?
Nikhil: We are on MTV but it's not the only music channel in India. All the music channels play music and have countdown shows. They have different shows, band they showcase, game show etc. What matter is the one who doing the best and the kind of production value that I have seen in this show is huge. The people, the judges, the scale, lightings, audience and the entire set up is something to be watched. It actually is India's best talent hunt show and there is nothing like it.

Ayushman: This show has a soul as it touches the heart of people and I feel its goanna be brilliant.

Were there any moments in the show were judges disagreed with each other?
Ayushman: I think Shekhar Kapoor and Kiron have different but logical opinions.

Nikhil: This is also going to be a different show from all the other channels. The judges disagreeing with Shekar pointing out few points that he liked where as Kironji points out what she didn't like. Both the points are valid and they will disagree with that. Talent is very subjective which is why there are three judges who brings in different point of views. Basically its two out of three decisions, if you get two yeses you go ahead and vice versa.
 
What according to you will be the entertainment in that percent and the talent?
Nikhil: It has to be entertaining. If I look at a particular act I should feel like watching it again.

Is there medical supervision on the sets? Was there any accidents too?
Both: All the time, there is doctor on standby and the ambulance too. There are some acts where they use fire and such props for which we are prepared. Yes there were few accidents but we cannot talk about that you better ask the channel.

Nikhil: When people are doing dangerous things on stage it's always a concern and when things don't go according to the plans, you get worried. At the same time we know that everything will be done in a controlled environment.

Do you think its right to encourage the dead define act as an entertainment?
Nikhil: The question comes up of how you are encouraging it. All the issues faced by the youth today can be brought down to parenting. You always know what is right and wrong. If you are brought up properly by your parents it will show while making a choice. Like if you go out with your friends and they tell you to smoke, this is the time when you make a right decision if your parenting is right.

If someone see anything on television and says want to try it knowing that it's dangerous. Just because you saw it on TV and want to perform, it is where you can see the parenting. It's easy for them to give out the responsibility by saying it's the fault of that particular show on television. If you are brought up right you have the common sense to make a right choice. If you are performing such acts it means you playing stupid. This is not encouraged by programme as they clearly give the outline that the stunt performed by these people is under the supervision of professionals and don't try this at home. After this some people try this then what to tell them.

Do you think India's Got talent will be successful in our country?
This show will change the life of people and I think it will work in the Indian format too.