Following a Facebook post that went viral on Tuesday morning on questioning Vijay TV’s decision to make contestant Anand Aravindakshan the winner of its popular show Super Singer 5 winner, the channel has responded saying that they have no rules and regulations which mention that playback singers cannot be part of the show.
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Talking to The News Minute, Pradeep Milroy Peter, Head of Programming said, “In our rules and regulations, it is nowhere mentioned that people from movies or people who have done playback singing cannot be part of the show.”
The Facebook post had said that Anand was previously a playback singer for many popular films and the win was unethical as the show is believed to exhibit raw and new talent. The post claims that the singer was initially eliminated in one of many rounds on the show, but brought back on a wildcard entry.
Vijay TV says that Anand being a playback singer was no secret.
Anand Aravindakshan had clarified in his first interview itself that he has done playback singing, Pradeep Milroy Peter said. “Äravind had said that he has done playback singing but he was not popular so he came for the show so that the entire world will take notice of him,” he said.
Criticizing people who spread false news, he said, “This entire news is done by people who don’t even watch the show. A viewer will know that he has done playback singing and we are not hiding anything,” he said.
The Super Singer had rules not to include playback singers earlier. “In the beginning seasons, four to five years back we said no playback singers can be part of the show. When we do auditions, there are hundreds of people who do tracks for directors or religious albums so technically we could not qualify everyone so we removed those rules. In Super Singer senior, about two seasons ago before this rule was removed. Those rules are not at all applicable now,” he said.
He added, “Don’t you think if a playback singer is being a contestant on the show, won't we feel proud of it?”