Dum Dum lady Ranita Banerjee stopped only one step away from the crown of Zee TV’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs. The 2013 Zee Bangla champion of the regional model of the singing actuality present shares with us her 9 months’ expertise in Mumbai, singing and taking pictures amid the pandemic.
Congratulations! What was your response when the outcome was being introduced?
Thanks. Really, the ultimate was shot a month again when the outcome had not been determined. So all attainable outcomes had been canned and we needed to react accordingly. The outcomes had been determined after viewers votes had been polled. So together with the remainder of the nation, seated at dwelling, I too got here to know that I used to be the runner-up.
Who had you considered your closest competitor?
Each Aryananda (Babu, the eventual winner from Kerala) and Zaid Ali (a finalist). Since most of my duets had been with Aryananda, I needed to struggle in each track. In direction of the tip, I hardly obtained solo songs. Within the closing, too, I had no songs of my very own. So there was much less scope later for me to reveal my singing.
How lengthy had been you in Mumbai?
Our auditions in Calcutta had been in January. I left for Mumbai on February 7.
There was a change in judges after the lockdown with Kumar Sanu and Udit Narayan stepping right down to make approach for Himesh Reshammiya and Jaaved Ali who joined Alka Yagnik. Have been you proud of the change?
Sanu uncle had seen me within the Zee Bangla present and used to assist me rather a lot. So I did really feel unhealthy when he left. Alka ma’am used to come back on and off and knew me too.
How was the schedule?
Very hectic. We needed to decide up eight songs in two days. Then we had rehearsals with the band one night, the technicals (the place the taking pictures particulars could be labored out) the subsequent day and the precise shoot on the third day.
Inform us about your finest performances.
After the lockdown, the present resumed with my recital of Ghar morey pardesiya. Alkaji obtained tearful listening to my Megha re. Padma Wadkar (spouse of Suresh Wadkar, who had sung the Pyaasa Sawan track in duet with Lata Mangeshkar) got here as much as reward me. Govinda sir gave me a standing ovation for Chaturnar badi hoshiyar. I sang O humsafar in presence of Neha and Tony Kakkar. She mentioned I had sung the track higher than her. What praise could be larger than that! Within the episode the place Randhir Kapoor got here, I sang Ram teri Ganga maili. He mentioned he might see a future Lataji (Mangeshkar) in me. After Aryananda and I sang Radha kaise na jwale, Himeshji supplied us a track on the spot in a Rajkumar Santoshi movie he’s scoring for. However that half obtained edited out within the telecast.
How a lot did issues change after the lockdown?
Quite a bit. Temperature verify, masks, make-up males in PPE package…. We used to eat and get groomed collectively. All that stopped. Even for our adda within the hall, we needed to stand at a distance. After some weeks, after all, Ananya (Sharma), Zaid, Tanishka (Sarkar, one other finalist from Calcutta) used to come back to my room in masks within the bungalow to talk. Even Gurkirat (Singh) beloved coming as there was a gradual provide of chips and chocolate in my room as additionally Ludo and a ball to play with. I entertained everybody.
Any regrets, apart from not profitable?
Not getting to fulfill Shah Rukh Khan. I had seen Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha after I went to Indian Idol Junior in 2015 (reaching prime six).
What number of extra actuality exhibits have you ever been on?
(Smiles) My first present was Singing Star on Rupasi Bangla channel. I used to be then 5 years outdated. I took a break after Indian Idol Junior as my father needed me to organize effectively earlier than the subsequent present. He’s a voice coach on Zee Bangla Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. He joined there the 12 months after I turned champion.
In regular circumstances, this Puja would have been very busy for you with live performance bookings.
Sure. Individuals are recognising me even with masks on after we buy groceries. Yearly, I’m away in Delhi or Mumbai for exhibits. This 12 months, I might have gotten even larger reception. The truth is, we might have been going for a live performance tour overseas. However that’s unlikely to occur. So we’re leaving for Darjeeling on Ashtami.
