LV Revanth wins Indian Idol title

After weeks of hard work and multiple rounds of competition, Hyderabad lad L.V. Revanth was crowned the winner of Indian Idol 9 on Sunday. The glittering grand finale also had Masterblaster Sachin Tendulkar in attendance. We caught up with the winner soon after for a quick chat. Excerpts from the interview:
 
Q. Has the feeling sunk in or are you still pinching yourself hard to believe you are indeed holding the prestigious Indian Idol trophy?
Honestly, it’s so surreal. I have never won any competition before even though I have participated in a lot of reality shows down South. I am an untrained singer, but I trusted my passion and the hard work I invested paid off. I felt so happy receiving the trophy from Sachin Tendulkar. I thank everyone with all my heart for making me their Indian Idol. I cannot ask for anything more. Right from day one, the journey has been filled with varied emotions like joy, anxiety, fun and nervousness. But holding this glorious trophy in my hand gives me a feeling that it was all worth it!

winner: L.V. Revanth poses with his trophy

Q. Your language barrier is a well-known fact. What gave you an edge over contenders like Khuda Baksh and Rohit?   
It was the toughest competition for me because of the language issue. I could not express myself well because I am not fluent in Hindi and many even made fun of me because my Hindi was weak. That fear somehow always stayed with me but never did it hinder my confidence or focus (during singing). Indian Idol has been a boon in many ways. They (the judges) worked hard on my diction and language and groomed me pretty well. It gave me a scope to perform exceptionally well, even more than I could imagine. I always trusted myself and the power of my voice. Sonu (Nigam) always complimented me on using my voice well.

L.V. Revanth is joined by his family and Sachin Tendulkar after his win

Q. You were not just the judges’ favourite but also had a strong connect with viewers, who pretty much predicted your win.     
Farah (Khan) said ‘Welcome to Bollywood’ and Anu Malik has assured me that he will use my voice in one of his films. In fact, Anu sir is my idol. Whenever I would feel low, he would encourage me with his words of support. I lost my father at a young age, so I saw him in Anu Malik. I am very grateful to all the judges for their unconditional support. I would also like to thank all the people who believed in me and voted for me. Even though I am a South Indian boy, I got a tremendous response from the North as well. Today, all of India knows who Revanth is. I want to become a Bollywood sensation next!

Q. Hyderabad is proud of their boy and is celebrating your win. Any message for fans back home?
This victory belongs to the whole of South and North India. Since I stay in Hyderabad, a special thanks to the people who voted for me from there.

Q. What are you going to do with all that prize money?
I have a lot of responsibilities and commitments but I will give 10 per cent to a charity.