Abhijeet sawant, first 'indian idol', says winning isn’t everything, staying relevant is - the statesman

Abhijeet Sawant, the name that once echoed across Indian households as the first-ever winner of ‘Indian Idol’, recently opened up about what really matters in the world of reality TV. And

spoiler alert, it’s not the title. In a candid conversation with Galatta India, Abhijeet was asked whether winning a reality show or staying relevant afterward was more important.

Advertisement His answer was refreshingly honest: “Reaching somewhere is the real challenge. Winning the trophy isn’t the ultimate goal. It’s great if you win, but the real achievement is

when people start recognising you, when you rise above your background and build a career from there.” Advertisement >  According to him, the real value of a reality show lies in the

visibility it offers. And he’s got a point. “Many times, we’ve seen winners chosen based on popularity, not necessarily skill,” he said. “Talented artists often lose because they don’t have

a strong fan base. Look at Arijit Singh or Neha Kakkar. They didn’t win their respective shows. Yet, they reached far greater heights than many who did.” ALSO READ: “ZINTA’S TEAM WON KYA?”

SALMAN KHAN’S OG TWEET IS BACK AND FANS ARE LOVING IT! Neha was a contestant on ‘Indian Idol 2’ but got eliminated early, and Arijit placed sixth in ‘Fame Gurukul’. Both of them, as Abhijeet

pointed out, are now among India’s top playback singers. Abhijeet himself is no stranger to the ups and downs of fame. After winning ‘Indian Idol’ in 2004, he released his debut album

‘Aapka Abhijeet Sawant’ in 2005 and even lent his voice to Bollywood with the song “Mar Jaawan Mit Jaawan” from ‘Aashiq Banaya Aapne’. His second album ‘Junoon’ followed in 2007, and in

2013, he released his third record titled ‘Farida’. Reality TV kept calling, though. He was the first runner-up on ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar’, a singing competition featuring winners and

runners-up from various shows. Later, he also competed in ‘Asian Idol’ and ‘Bigg Boss Marathi 5’, finishing as runner-up once again. And just when you thought he’d done it all—he gave acting

a shot too. Abhijeet starred in the 2009 film ‘Lottery’ and made cameos in ‘Tees Maar Khan’, as well as TV shows like ‘Kaisa Ye Pyar Hai’ and ‘CID’. Advertisement