Sa Re Ga Ma contestants get a slice of success

It was their first visit to Dubai and they enjoyed every moment.

However, the main reason for the large smiles on the faces of Ujjaini and Aishwarya is that the couple has bagged a singing contract worth Rs 50 lakh with Zee on winning the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Ek Main Aur Ek Tu contest.

“We are lost for words. We were optimistic about winning the crown but there was a fear in our minds for the past one week,” said Aishwarya over phone from Dubai.

The joy of victory was shared by their family members, who were also present at the venue. “My mother had come down all the way to Dubai, hoping to see her daughter win the crown. I am happy that her dream has come true,” said Ujjaini, a 17-year-old Kolkata girl.

Her partner Aishwarya, who is from Bihar, said that winning the crown is the first step to success but is also the beginning of a new phase where one has to struggle.

“There will be a lot of pressure to prove ourselves once again as the crowd will have a lot of expectations,” he said.

The last few days were very tense and the couple was nervous. Anything was possible.

We knew that all of us were performing well and the winner would be decided through public voting where even one vote can change the whole equation,” said Ujjaini.

The winners, who had become friends with their competitors over the last few months, also feel sorry for them.

“We used to spend our days together and are friends. They are extremely talented and we wish them good luck,” says Aishwarya.

The two are grateful to the judges of the contest, Hariharan and Leslie Lewis of Colonial Cousins, for helping them hone their skills.

“I am an ardent admirer of Hariharanji and am lucky to have had him as a guide during that period,” says Ujjaini, who is a fan of Celine Dion, Lata Mangeshkar and Udit Narayan.

Aishwarya and Ujjaini had also taken part in the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge but could not win it. “We were upset because we could not make it. But all the pain is gone today,” says Ujjaini.

“This show has given us a lot more than what we expected. We have also learnt to be performers. Now we have to live up to the expectations of the people who have voted us winners,” she says.