Saturday, May 10, 2008

India elects a new Idol

This past spring, eight finalists gathered at a TV studio in Mumbai (also known as Bombay) for the weekly taping of Indian Idol The singers were art in their late teens and 20s; each dreamed of making it big in Hollywood, India's movie industry. The winner, chosen by popular vote, would get a Sony recording contract and a brand-new car.

Indian Idol, similar in format to American Idol, is among several TV talent shows that have become popular in India. Most of the contestants come from smart towns and villages. This year's winner of Indian Idol, Sandeep Acharya, became known as "the boy from Bikaner," a town in northwestern India. The popularity of these contests seems to reflect a belief among Indian youth that they can make it on merit, and that democracy will win out over favoritism or family connections.

http://findarticles.com

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