Amit Sana on returning with Indian Idol Legends Return after years away from the limelight: I wanted to detach from the extreme fame and popularity
Twenty-two years after finishing as the runner-up on the inaugural season of Indian Idol, Amit Sana is back on the show with Indian Idol Legends Return . The singer, who stepped away from the limelight over the years, has reunited with the franchise that first brought him into the public eye. This time, he is paired with fellow ex-Idol Prajakta Shukre, as former contestants return to perform in duos.
“It does feel like life has come full circle”
Amit never expected to return to the show, but the opportunity also allows him to experience the platform from a very different perspective. He says, “It does feel like life has come full circle. I never really thought of going back to Indian Idol. It was a surprise call from the channel and the production house, and I am back on Indian Idol after 22 years. The format will see popular ex-Idols performing in pairs. It is about how a duo sings and performs together, their chemistry and synergy. I am paired with Prajakta Shukre. Bohot saalon se my fans wanted to see me on TV, so here it is. This is also one of the reasons why I am back on TV.”
He adds, “I also wanted to get a perspective on how much things have changed since 2005. Aaj ke bachhe kaise gaate hain and what their state of mind is. Unse bhi ek seekhne ka mauka mujhe bohot achha laga. So, I thought, kyu nahi, ek aur mauka to challenge myself. It takes a lot of courage to do something like this again. I am definitely not the same person one saw on Indian Idol 1, but I still carry the same DNA inside me. So, people will relate to me and also see a lot of new things in me.”
“I have never been a planner with clearly defined goals”
After Jo Jeeta Wohi Super Star in 2008 and a run of singles, Amit chose to spend more time understanding himself and what he wanted from his career and life. He says, “It may appear that I have taken a very long break and haven’t done much musically, but that doesn’t mean I have been stagnant. It is like sometimes the root system is developing underneath and you cannot see much on the outside. I have never been a planner with clearly defined goals. I did have goals and still do, but there were a lot of questions inside. Many times, I would retreat into my shell, while at other times I would be ecstatic or the complete opposite. I couldn’t understand what was happening because I came to Mumbai from a very small city. There is so much rush and everything is constantly happening. Your senses are overwhelmed and it becomes very difficult to think clearly.”
He shares, “The initial period was consumed by shows and everything the city had to offer, including meeting different kinds of people and experiencing different energies, which affected me a lot. I would often wonder why I was not able to work like others. An internal journey has happened all this while. It has been a very tough journey and I am still learning. This is going to be the case with me throughout my life because I am super inquisitive and always on the lookout for answers. The most beautiful thing that happened during this period was being introduced to spirituality through Art of Living. That’s where I finally found my ground, where I could establish a relationship between my inner self and the outside world and process everything coming to me in terms of people, places, career and health.”
The experience, he believes, has also changed how he approaches his career and the world around him. Amit adds, “Finally, after 22 years, it seems like I am on an upward graph again, especially with how things have been unfolding since the beginning of this year. I think the learning was there. I was getting prepared to accept the knowledge, and now it has started to come. I am better equipped to process everything and come back into the public eye to continue with my music career . I have no regrets about it and am actually very happy that it happened this way. It is important for a person to understand their inner self and acknowledge what’s happening within, rather than just being in a safe space and trying to protect their boundaries and ecosystem. I will always challenge that, and now I have the tools that will help me grow, not just as a musician but also spiritually and as a human being.”
“Being in the limelight is a very jarring process for any artiste”
The intensity of his first brush with fame also shaped Amit’s relationship with the spotlight. Asked if he missed being in the limelight, he says, “I have missed being in the limelight for sure, but at the same time, I was enjoying the process because there is a completely different side. The opposite side also has to be lived and experienced so that you can understand both aspects and gain a complete experience. That’s when you can strike the right balance. Being in the limelight is a very jarring process for any artiste. Only a few can be successful in showbiz. In my case, I wanted to completely detach myself from what I had experienced during Indian Idol, the extreme amount of limelight and popularity. I went silent for a while and never really tried to come back into the limelight.”
He adds, “Now, I think I am fit enough to be in the limelight again. I am going to push myself harder and enjoy it again. People have been waiting for all these years, and now I wish to give them back as much as I can. I owe it to them, to my fans who have been waiting for so many years. I have been working on music, making songs and enriching myself as a musician. I have a better understanding of the kind of music I like and want to present to the audience with utmost honesty, which I can sustain for 20 to 30 years, as long as I am alive and doing music. I am clear about the direction I want to take in music and what I need to bring back to my fans.”
“It does feel like life has come full circle”
Amit never expected to return to the show, but the opportunity also allows him to experience the platform from a very different perspective. He says, “It does feel like life has come full circle. I never really thought of going back to Indian Idol. It was a surprise call from the channel and the production house, and I am back on Indian Idol after 22 years. The format will see popular ex-Idols performing in pairs. It is about how a duo sings and performs together, their chemistry and synergy. I am paired with Prajakta Shukre. Bohot saalon se my fans wanted to see me on TV, so here it is. This is also one of the reasons why I am back on TV.”
He adds, “I also wanted to get a perspective on how much things have changed since 2005. Aaj ke bachhe kaise gaate hain and what their state of mind is. Unse bhi ek seekhne ka mauka mujhe bohot achha laga. So, I thought, kyu nahi, ek aur mauka to challenge myself. It takes a lot of courage to do something like this again. I am definitely not the same person one saw on Indian Idol 1, but I still carry the same DNA inside me. So, people will relate to me and also see a lot of new things in me.”
“I have never been a planner with clearly defined goals”
After Jo Jeeta Wohi Super Star in 2008 and a run of singles, Amit chose to spend more time understanding himself and what he wanted from his career and life. He says, “It may appear that I have taken a very long break and haven’t done much musically, but that doesn’t mean I have been stagnant. It is like sometimes the root system is developing underneath and you cannot see much on the outside. I have never been a planner with clearly defined goals. I did have goals and still do, but there were a lot of questions inside. Many times, I would retreat into my shell, while at other times I would be ecstatic or the complete opposite. I couldn’t understand what was happening because I came to Mumbai from a very small city. There is so much rush and everything is constantly happening. Your senses are overwhelmed and it becomes very difficult to think clearly.”
He shares, “The initial period was consumed by shows and everything the city had to offer, including meeting different kinds of people and experiencing different energies, which affected me a lot. I would often wonder why I was not able to work like others. An internal journey has happened all this while. It has been a very tough journey and I am still learning. This is going to be the case with me throughout my life because I am super inquisitive and always on the lookout for answers. The most beautiful thing that happened during this period was being introduced to spirituality through Art of Living. That’s where I finally found my ground, where I could establish a relationship between my inner self and the outside world and process everything coming to me in terms of people, places, career and health.”
The experience, he believes, has also changed how he approaches his career and the world around him. Amit adds, “Finally, after 22 years, it seems like I am on an upward graph again, especially with how things have been unfolding since the beginning of this year. I think the learning was there. I was getting prepared to accept the knowledge, and now it has started to come. I am better equipped to process everything and come back into the public eye to continue with my music career . I have no regrets about it and am actually very happy that it happened this way. It is important for a person to understand their inner self and acknowledge what’s happening within, rather than just being in a safe space and trying to protect their boundaries and ecosystem. I will always challenge that, and now I have the tools that will help me grow, not just as a musician but also spiritually and as a human being.”
“Being in the limelight is a very jarring process for any artiste”
The intensity of his first brush with fame also shaped Amit’s relationship with the spotlight. Asked if he missed being in the limelight, he says, “I have missed being in the limelight for sure, but at the same time, I was enjoying the process because there is a completely different side. The opposite side also has to be lived and experienced so that you can understand both aspects and gain a complete experience. That’s when you can strike the right balance. Being in the limelight is a very jarring process for any artiste. Only a few can be successful in showbiz. In my case, I wanted to completely detach myself from what I had experienced during Indian Idol, the extreme amount of limelight and popularity. I went silent for a while and never really tried to come back into the limelight.”
He adds, “Now, I think I am fit enough to be in the limelight again. I am going to push myself harder and enjoy it again. People have been waiting for all these years, and now I wish to give them back as much as I can. I owe it to them, to my fans who have been waiting for so many years. I have been working on music, making songs and enriching myself as a musician. I have a better understanding of the kind of music I like and want to present to the audience with utmost honesty, which I can sustain for 20 to 30 years, as long as I am alive and doing music. I am clear about the direction I want to take in music and what I need to bring back to my fans.”
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