Shekhar Suman on reality shows

January 2, 2008

Shekhar SumanWhat’s your new year resolution?
Just keep working harder. Keep doing different kinds of things. Take up new challenges. And, of course, to have the best body in business.

Do you feel you have the best body in business?
Yes, I think for my age I have a good body. I don’t know about the best, but I am very happy with what I have achieved. Many people are going in for six-pack abs now…
I, by default, started it. Last year, at this time, that was my resolution. I managed to do it in three months. I’m glad I could inspire people. But, I’d like to caution them. You shouldn’t try and do it overnight. That can be dangerous. One has to go through a proper course along with a trainer and with the right diet advice from a dietician. Maintaining six-packs is difficult…

Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. And uneasier lies the stomach that has six packs! It’s easy to reach somewhere, but maintaining that is very diffcult. You have to put in double the effort to stay there.
Your son Adhyayan says he wants to have a body like yours…
(Smiles) I think charity begins at home and so does competition. And what better competition than one between a father and son!

Shah Rukh Khan commented on your six-packs on your show Jjhoom India?
Yes, that was very nice of him. He said he got inspired after seeing my picture.

You must be glad you made it to the top four in Jjhoom India..
Yes, today one of us will be eliminated. It could be me, it could be somebody else. But I must say I have had the greatest satisfaction on this show as a singer, thanks to Sanjeevani, my mentor, and to judges like Mahesh Bhatt, who’s been my friend, philosopher and guide. He encouraged me so much. My growth has been maximum on the show. Mahesh said on the show, I wonder why Shekhar tries to hit the high notes, guess those who have the real depth and who are emotional do so. When I sang for my son, he held my hand and cried.

But you were criticised for your singing especially at the beginning for the show?
We are all non-singers trying to become singers. The idea of a show is to turn from a caterpillar to a butterfly. I was full of shortcomings and judges would point out when I was going wrong. I am competing with myself. I didn’t come here to win or lose. I came here for my own growth as a singer. I came here as Shekhar, the novice who wants to learn.

You lashed out at the format of the show some time ago…
I was unhappy about the format in the beginning. We were singing for the judges, then we had the audiences voting in and then even the contestants throwing each other out. And that was based on personal relationships. I didn’t know anybody, I’m not part of serials, so I was apprehensive whether they would want me or not. But I was hell bent and determined I had to learn.

What do you have to say about reality shows?
I have learnt a lot about human behaviour. How behaviours change and everyone has the urge to win. Once you don’t have the fear of losing you start learning. If I win I’ll be happy, even if I don’t it’s ok. You just have to pursue your goal diligently.

Will you be part of another reality show?
It depends on what kind of a reality show it is. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of rigging happening on reality shows. Channels for their own reasons seem to have pre-decided results.

Are you talking about past shows?
Yes.

What about Jjhoom India?
I don’t know. I’m expecting the best and preparing myself for the worst. But I must say with Jjhoom India I have hit the right note of my life and grown as a singer.

What about movies?
I am terribly excited this year. I have some strange feeling I will be back in movies doing the kind of roles I always wanted to do. The actor in me had taken a backseat because of TV assignments. But now I feel the right time has come. I have just finished One Fine Monday where I play a don whose dying father takes an oath from him to change. I’m excited about the movie. There’s also a film on farmers’ suicides by Makrand Deshpande that I’m doing. My production house along with Ronnie Screwvala will be making two to three films every year. There are talks going on with another big corporate to make few more films.

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