Thaindian News

Mumbai, May 27 (IANS) Ace director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who proved his mettle in music, is set to judge the upcoming singing show “X-Factor” in which he intends to find the best performer from the lot.

“X-Factor”, to be aired on Sony Entertainment Television, is a talent show franchise that originated in Britain and has now come to India where Bhansali has been teamed up with singer composer Sonu Niigaam and the National Award winning singer Shreya Ghoshal to judge the show.

“We are doing grooming sessions. They are very intensive sessions. I am giving them everything that, however little, possibly I know, teach them techniques as an actor, as a performer to think and know what are subtexts of a song and many more things. That’s my role; it’s not for my own stardom. I am employed to find a good performer and I will do that,” Bhansali told reporters after the official launch of the singing show at Taj Lands End Hotel here Friday.

The director said he is awed by the grandeur of “X-Factor”.

“It’s a fabulously mounted show. I loved the way it’s being presented. I was taken aback by seeing the mounting, because I haven’t seen this kind of scale, commitment, planning and preparation in television,” said Bhansali.

This is Bhansali’s second stint as a judge of any reality show, after season one of the dance reality show “Jhalak Dikhla Ja” in 2006.

The show, to be aired Friday and Saturday, is the first with no age bar and the judges will treat every contestant irrespective of their age, said Bhansali.

“To us every artiste is same. Be it a 16-year-old or 60-year-old. Everyone is as sensitive as the other,” he said.

Asked what is he looking for while judging the contestants, Bhansali said, “Primarily it’s the singing because at the end of the day it’s a singing show, and then comes what is your ability to perform on stage and ability to hold the audience because we are looking for a performer.”

“We are also seeing one’s range. Is it one kind of music or you can sing different kinds of songs? What’s your power of voice? Is it going to resonate for a lifetime? Everything is in one’s eyes. I am searching for the one whose eyes have that sparkle,” he added.