Indian Idol 16’s 9-month run explained, contestants says they were ‘not given a choice’

The reality space has been booming recently, with many new shows coming in even as legacy titles continue to dominate. Usually, the regular cycle for any reality show is 3 to 4 months, with Bigg Boss 13 — with a six-month run — emerging as the longest season in the reality space. Indian Idol 15 also went on for a little over five months. However, Indian Idol 16 seems to have passed that threshold, almost running for 9 months now. Indian Idol 16 is expected to have its grand finale by the end of this month. While good TRPs are said to be a reason for the show getting a long extension, speaking to SCREEN, Indian Idol contestants shared how they looked at their extended journey.

Why has Indian Idol 16 been running for 9 months?

Regarding the show’s extended runtime, a source close to the channel shared, “The show has gotten an extension due to the demand; it shall end in the next few weeks.” Last month, there were no evictions for three weeks; in fact, two wild card entries also appeared on the show. Talking about the same, the source added, “All the contestants are receiving good amount of votes. The show recently had wild-card entries because it is working really well. There have not been any evictions for some time now because it wouldn’t have been fair to the wild card entries, who have just got a chance to perform in the competition.”

Also Read: Vishal Dadlani dropped from Indian Idol 16 over NEET paper leak remarks? Composer responds

“The contestants are also aligned with the extension, and it has been with their mutual consent. There has been no situation where contestants have had issues with the extension. Eventually, production takes a call in situations like this. While contestants are not paid, their accommodation and food are managed by the production, and they are also given opportunities to perform at other live events.”

However, that may not be entirely true. Though Indian Idol 16 was initially extended for 3 months and was supposed to end in March, the decision was not welcomed by all the contestants. One of our sources reveals that while the makers have been trying their best to retain as many contestants as possible, not everyone is willing to stay back and keep singing ‘for free’.

The wild card contestants who joined the show are actually getting paid to perform, but may not win the show for this reason. With its share of ups and downs, Indian Idol has managed to sustain itself this far. Talking about the show’s long run, judge Vishal Dadlani said in a press statement, “Indian Idol has given India some of the most incredible voices we have ever heard, and that’s what makes this platform so special. Every season, talented singers from across the country come here with a dream, and many of them go on to become stars. The overwhelming response this year is a testament to the show’s enduring legacy. The extension is a reflection of how deeply viewers have connected with the contestants and their journeys, and I’m excited that we get to celebrate more music and more incredible talent with them.”

Contestants react to Indian Idol 16’s extension

While the audience is enjoying the show, its performers have been facing their own set of challenges. We recently spoke to Abhishek Kumar, Suhail Sufi, and Manraj Veer, who made it to the top 8. Abhishek hails from Jharkhand, Suhail comes from Rajasthan, and Manveer lives in Delhi. Talking about being away from home longer than expected, the contestants said it is challenging.

Suhail Sufi said, “It is challenging to stay away from home, but we are here with an aim. We do miss home, however, not much time is left for Indian Idol to end, so we will finish this and go home.” Manraj Veer explained his situation, and shared, “When I came on the show, I thought this would go on for 4-5 months. While I am used to travelling, now it has been 9 months since I last met my parents. My mom doesn’t keep well, so she doesn’t travel much, so it feels weird now, and it’s getting challenging.” Abhishek Kumar added, “We have been away from home for a long time. I miss my family a lot, especially my mother and home-cooked food. While we talk to family every day, parents keep coming occasionally, I still miss being at home, but when you want to achieve something, you have to make some sacrifices.”

Talking about the extension, Abhishek said, “So far, the journey has been great; we have learned a lot. When you go on any reality show, the main reason is to become famous. We have spent a lot of time with such talented people, and with this extension, people have started knowing us by name. It is benefiting us in every possible way.”

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Manraj added, “Life has changed for the good. For an artist, the most important thing is how much screen time he gets, and all of us have gotten it so much that we are only grateful. The show was extended for the audience, because the theme is older songs, so people are connecting with us. It is making our foundation stronger. We want the show to keep going on even longer.”

Discussing if the contestants were given a choice to walk out when the show got an extension, Abhishek said, “We were not given any choice; the makers just informed us that the show is being extended since the audience was loving it. So we welcomed the decision.”

Suhail said, “Had they given us a choice, we wouldn’t have left. They extended the show because of us. They could have easily started a new season, but they didn’t. We are still asking them to extend this season, but it won’t happen any further.”