"Look MA, I'M A Star!"-Exploring Contestant's Participation in Tamil Reality Television

Reality television (RTV) is the latest obsession in Indian television entertainment programming. It has emerged as a new form of amusement for audience with a whole new notion including unscripted dramatic or humorous situations with vibrant performances and featuring ordinary people instead of professionals or celebrities. The growing popularity among audience to watch such programmes in regional lingo has tremendously influenced the talented youngsters to contest in reality talent hunt shows (RTHS), it is a sub genre of RTV; it features various contestants performing talents of singing, dancing, acting or other activities to showcase their skills in a televised-challenge environment to win a title or reward or prize money; in some cases for all of the aforesaid. Academic studies on RTV in western countries are as old as the medium. While recently, Indian RTV has been a point of discussion among media researchers; but has done little investigation on it. Almost no academic research is written or published on Tamil RTV and its contestants, despite the reputation, fame and chance to get into mainstream film industry is high. In this context, this paper examines Tamil RTHS contestant's motives to participate in such programme and understanding of the RTHS phenomena, of making an ordinary person to a ‘star ’on the show and the post-show life. A total of twelve contestants across Tamil Nadu, who competed in singing and dance based Tamil talent hunt shows were interviewed in focus group discussion using in-person interview. The paper argues that the RTHS is crucial in moulding a talent and to ‘do your best'performance along with the audience voting participation to create ‘attention ’and turn-on a ‘performer ’to a ‘star ’.