I would say, it is the easiest to 'perform live' in India if you are a celebrity. But if you are a 'normal human being', it would be the toughest thing on earth.
Thanks to all those reality shows, which 'nurture young and fresh talent'. And also, thanks to various celebrations that happen across the country all round the year. Both really help to 'nurture' talent.
And, particularly in our country, any celebration is incomplete without a celebrity being invited to 'perform live'. (An overdose of inverted comas is to remind you to read everything in context.) Imagine that you are gearing up for any celebration, it is a very natural question to ask, " Hey, who is coming for the show? Who is gonna peform?"
Now, please don't think that I am against celebrations or live performances. I am very much for it. But, what bothers me is the genuineness of it, the genuineness of the live performances.
The concept of an artist performing live to entertain the audience dates back to our ancestral times. The same is being carried forward even now, even though in a different format.
Yesterday, I was a part of the 'Family Day Celebrations' of my organization, MARUTI SUZUKI INDIA LTD. There was a gorgeous lady singing on the stage, whose name I don't remember. But, sources said that she was a contestant in one of the many music competitions in one of the television channels. No doubt her voice was as gorgeous as she herself. She 'sang' some popular Hindi songs, both old and new. The audience seemed to be thoroughly engrossed.
Towards, the end of the program, I noticed that there was no 'band' accompanying her. Its a pity that I took notice only towards the end. Anyways, she was singing 'effortlessly'. Upon a closer watch on the big screen, her 'lip singing' was clearly visible. I was shocked. In fact, I need not be, because 99 out of 100 live performances in India are just 'enacted' on stage.
I would say, its cruelty towards music, towards art and towards the audience. Aren't they making fun of the audience and trying to a make of a fool out of them? Again, I do not know the inside story, i.e., is there any pact signed between the artists the organizers of the event (the one who is paying for the event) stating that the performance wouldn't be live, but an enactment. I am yet to discover that. If it is not so, then the situation is even worse.
