‘Sur Kshetra’ – Indo-Pak Music Extravaganza

By Himanshu Guru: Sur Kshetra, the musical battle between team India and Pakistan on Colors TV, created by Sahara One, is more a tussle and less an entertainer despite the involvement of Legends from Music industry in the show. I believe the format is not perfect. The show has so far irritated several Indian music legends.

‘Sur Kshetra’, as its title provides is based on the format of fighting in the arena of ‘Sur’ that represents for ‘Music’ here. The format is that – some budding singers have been shortlisted to perform in the show to be judged by a panel of Music legends comprising of Asha Bhosle Ji from India, famous Ghazal singer Ghulam Ali Saab from Pakistan and eminent signer Runa Laila ji from Bangladesh. While the Indian team is led by music director/singer/actor Himesh Reshammiya, the Pakistani Team is led by singer/actor Atif Aslam.

Beautiful, gorgeous and smiley Indian actress Ayesha Takia hosts the show and she has so far earned much applause for her sweet and cute smile that she constantly wears during the show.

Sara Raza khan, Mulazim Hussain, Yashraaj Kapil, Nabeel Shukat, Ali Imran and Ali Akhtar are the finalists.

The show is being shown on Geo TV and Aag TV in Pakistan and Colors TV in India. Asha ji had a personal issue days before for which she was absent from the show for a while. But the situation paved the way to the involvement of two more Indian Music Legends, Suresh Wadekar, the revered and renowned Indian singer and Ismail Durbar, the celebrity Music director of India, who is revered for his breathtaking music in film like ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’.

In the race for TRP Production houses are coming with multiple formats. While many of them are hired from the western world, some come up from Indian subjects that can pull audience. In the name of business, producers went to encase even the rapport of India and Pakistan, who exchange a mixed relationship.

As its name shows, the format asks all the participants including esteemed judges and singers to entangle in a scuffle through music to win the audience (to raise the TRP of course). And in this attempt, skirmishes between Himesh, Atif Aslam and Asha Bhosle probably trap the audience.

However, legends from Indian Music Industry have rejected this cheap format in clear terms. Famous singer Abhijit wanted to know – why we need to run behind the foreign talents like Atif Aslam in singing or Sunny Leone in acting, though we have enough talents here. Legendary lyricist Javed Akhtar kept a question that why should India give such a warm welcome to Pakistani artistes here when there is no such reciprocation from their side. The question is much logical. Some other biggies also have conveyed their displeasure on promoting Pakistani Musicians in India while their Industry restricts many of us and several of our films.