Mahesh Bhatt forgets promise to Nepal

Broken promises, desertion, abandonment - these are the major themes of films by noted and controversial Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt.

Ironically, the colourful director himself seems to be guilty of similar action in Nepal.

Last year, the immense popularity of Sony Television channel’s “Indian Idol”, the search for India’s new pop icon, resulted in television channels in Nepal launching similar talent contests. To score an edge over the state-run Nepal Television’s Nepali Tara contest, Nepal1, Indian media personality Nalini Singh’s TV channel in Nepali, roped in Bhatt to generate extra hype for its own show, Nepal Star.

Bhatt was the star at the press conference in Kathmandu organised by the channel to announce its talent hunt. Sponsored by Lux beauty soap, the contest had an extra lure with the pledge by Bhatt that the winner would be given a chance in his new film.

Nearly 5,000 aspirants vied for the top prize, a sultry-voiced young woman from eastern Nepal, Bishnu Chemjong, finally being declared the winner.

However, the music student from Dharan city is yet to get the promised chance to sing - or act - in a Mahesh Bhatt film.

Apparently, Nepal1 too has lost interest in the show, which had to face a hard time soon after its launch last year. Less than a month after the auditions started, King Gyanendra seized power with the help of the army and began a crackdown on the media.

Nepal1 was one of the victims, with the royal regime ordering Nepal’s cable operators not to air the channel. Though eventually the channel was allowed to re-appear in Nepal and the contest concluded successfully this year, it was not continued but replaced with a similar show called “Maya ko dori”.

While Bhatt has forgotten his promise to Nepal Star, a local film director has gamely stepped in to lend a helping hand to Nepal’s new singing sensation.

Nepali film director Narayan Puri offered Bishnu a contract to sing a song in his new film “Mrityonjoy” (Conqueror of Death), to be released in January.

“She has huge potential,” said Puri. “Though her forte is modern songs, Bishnu sang a folk song for my film like a veteran folk singer.”

More than Bhatt, Puri blames the television channel for the forgotten promise.

“When celebrities like Mahesh Bhatt go to a smaller place and come across talent, they try to encourage them by offering them a platform in their new ventures. However, it would be naïve to expect Bhatt to stay in touch with the show and send a ticket to the winner, asking her to go to Mumbai and sing in his new film.

“It is something that should have been done by the TV channel that used Bhatt to promote its programme. They should have coordinated between Bishnu and Bhatt to see that the promise is kept.”

— IANS

 

Categories: Bollywood News and Gossip