'Indian Idol 14' winner wants to sing for Salman, Ranveer
What's the story
The 14th season of singing reality show Indian Idol concluded on Sunday with Kanpur-based Vaibhav Gupta emerging as the winner. Subhadeep Das Chowdhury and Piyush Panwar secured the first and second runner-up positions, respectively, while Ananya Pal finished as the third runner-up. Gupta received Rs. 25 lakh and a Maruti Suzuki Brezza car. The show was judged by Shreya Ghoshal, Kumar Sanu, and Vishal Dadlani, while Sonu Nigam was the special guest for the finale.
Background
Beginnings and social media applause
Per a report by OneIndia, 26-year-old Gupta completed his education at Mantora School in Nankari, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Though his parents wanted him to pursue engineering, Gupta gravitated toward music from a young age and decided to forge a career in this art form. Gupta's mother, however, is no more, and after the win, he lamented that she wasn't there to witness his victory. Coming to his social media, Gupta (@vaibhavgupta_sings) is followed by 15.4K people on Instagram!
Interview
Gupta on his 'Indian Idol 14' journey
In an exclusive interview with BollywoodLife, Gupta said in Hindi, "Today, I have been crowned the winner. I am extremely ecstatic about it. I had dreamt since my childhood that I would be performing on the stage in front of such respected singers." "I have worked hard and my voice has reached the hearts of the people. I am very happy and this journey has been amazing," he added.
Best moment
Gupta's best moments on 'Indian Idol 14'
Gupta reminisced about his favorite moments from the show, saying, "The best moment for me is my whole journey on Indian Idol 14. The judges, the contestants, and everyone else, I cannot forget anyone." He highlighted a special moment when his idol, Sukhwinder Singh, appeared on the show. Gupta recalled, "I sang in front of him and he blessed me. He told me that my voice is good and I sound beautiful."
Past favorites, Ghoshal's praise
His favorites from past 'Indian Idol' seasons
When asked about his favorite contestants from previous Indian Idol seasons, Gupta revealed, "I have followed Indian Idol since the first season. I have heard each and every contestant and if you ask me my favorite from the past, it would be Salman Ali." He also mentioned Mohammad Danish as another favorite. Separately, Ghoshal praised him, saying: "Vaibhav's journey has been remarkable, consistent, and inspiring. I truly wish him all the very best and pray he fulfills his dreams."
Plans
What will he do with the prize money? Gupta revealed
In another interview with Indian Express, he said, "I want to make my dream studio with the winning amount. I want this studio to create the kind of music I want to. I plan to make some music videos." Charting his Bollywood plans, he gushed, "I want to do playback singing for Salman Khan, Vicky Kaushal, and Ranveer Singh now. I will try my best that this happens someday."
Focus on live music
Gupta has an 'added responsibility' now
Gupta added, "I want to bring back live music, the symphony kind. The '90s feel is now coming back. People are listening to [Kishore Kumar] again, and this generation is focusing more on the melody. It is a very good era of music, and I want to present a new wave in it." "This win has made me more focused now. It has become an added responsibility, and now I want to give my fans even better," he concluded.