Homecoming of the Former Indian Idol

​Indian Idol’s Two-Day Celebration Was a Reunion of Dreams, Memories and Magical Music

Some television shows entertain us for a couple of seasons and others become part of our lives. Indian Idol belongs to the second category. On the 4 and 5 of July 2026, Sony Entertainment Television celebrated the 75thepisode of Indian Idol Season 16. The event brought together singers from different seasons, reminding viewers why the show has remained one of India’s most loved musical platforms. It was not just a reunion, it was a celebration of dreams that had taken flight, friendships that had endured and music that had only grown richer with time.

The show started with the host Aditya Narayan setting the tone with his effortless charm, welcoming back familiar faces amid thunderous applause. The celebration opened on a spectacular note when Myscmme a contestant of Season 15, returned as a wildcard entry in Season 16 and Nihal Tauro finalist of Season 12 rendered “Janam Janam.” The flawless vocals and effortless chemistry set the perfect tone for the evening. Highly impressed, Judge Badshah summed up everyone’s feelings in one sentence: “What a great way to start!”

Before the applause could even subside, the stage picked up momentum and came alive again as Anshika Chonkar from Season 16 and Shanmukha Priya finalist of season 12 took over the stage and sang “Hare Krishna Hare Rama.” It was an energetic, powerful and impossible to ignore performance. The auditorium was infused with infectious energy. Badshah was so impressed that he compared their rendition with that of the legendary Asha Bhosle—high praise indeed!

One of the evening’s biggest nostalgic moments was when Vishal Dadlani invited Abhijeet Sawant, winner of the very first season, to sing “Mohabbatein Lutaunga,” the song that introduced him to the nation. The surprise became more profound when Amit Sana runner-up of the first season joined him on stage after more than two decades. Watching the two recreate a memorable chapter of Indian Idol was enough to transport viewers back to where it all began.It prompted Judge Badshah to declare this as a “Speaker Phod” performance.

There was never a dull moment during the evening. Salman Ali winner of Season 10 and Chaitanya Devadhe of Season 15 and a wild card entry in Season 16, took the stage with the high-octane number “Marjaneya Ni, AajMere Ji Karda.” The energy of this performance was absolutely electrifying. From the very first note, the duo had the audience completely captivated. The contestants were on their feet, the audience clapped along enthusiastically and Vishal could only describe the performance as “magical.”

Just as the excitement had reached its peak, actor Ravi Kishan made an entry as chief guest and instantly changed the mood with his humour. A lively game of Dumb Charades involving former contestants, had everyone laughing, proving that the evening wasn’t only about singing but also about celebrating friendships formed over the years.

The pace slowed beautifully when Prajakta Shukre from season 1 who reached top 4, now an established singer and composer, joined Tanishk Shukla to sing “Hawa Ke Saath Saath.” It was soft, romantic and beautifully rendered number. Tanishk, in particular, continues to grow with every performance. His confidence, expression and maturity as a singer has become more evident each time he steps onto the stage.

The tempo of the show seemed to keep changing unpredictably as and when the stage is taken over by the next contestant. Sreerama Chandra, winner of Season 5, made a stylish entry accompanied by a troupe of dancers performing on the pulsating number “Allah Duhai Hai” establishing the perfect atmosphere for what was to come.

The Host then welcomed Manraj Veer contestant of the present season 16 and Manushi Ghosh winner of Season 15 to the stage. Among the evening’s most touching moments was Manushi’s appearance andAditya presented her with a symbolic keychain bearing a tiny house on one side and a car on the other, representing the gifts she had proudly bought for her parents. Ravi Kishan praised her achievement and her values, and an emotional Manushi struggled to hold back her tears. The mood quickly shifted back to celebration as Manraj Veer and Manushi Ghosh rendered the lively number “Que Sera Sera.” This was followed up with the foot-tapping “Main Toh Aiven Aiven Lut Gaya” bringing the house down with their infectious energy and spirited performance. Their electrifying act earned Badshah’s coveted verdict of a “Speaker-Phod” performance. 

Another memorable duet came from Sneha Shankar and Chaitanya with “Der Na Ho Jaye Kahin Der Na Ho Jaye.” Sneha’s effortless high notes and beautiful classical touches left the audience spellbound.

At this point the celebrations paused briefly when Aditya announced that Badshah had officially secured a place among the world’s most-viewed hip-hop artists on YouTube. Though delighted, the rapper smiled and admitted that he was still aiming for the Number One spot—a reminder that every achievement is only another step towards a bigger dream. With Badshah’s inspiring announcement, the curtain came down on the first day of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. But the festivities were far from over. The celebrations resumed the following day with the same enthusiasm, promising another memorable evening of music, nostalgia, and entertainment.

Setting the tone for day two was Sreerama Chandra performing on the song “Bang Bang” with his troupe of dancers. He was then joined by Jyotirmoy for the challenging songby Ravi Kishen “Mere Dholna.” The classical part was rendered with such remarkable ease that the judges began applauding even before the song ended. Ravi Kishan admitted that he had deliberately chosen one of the most difficult songs, and the singers had exceeded every expectation.

Next, Myscmme and Pawandeep Rajan tookcontrol of the stage and recreated the magic of classic Bollywood ever-green song “Dhak Dhak Karne Laga” and “Tum Paas Aaye Youn Muskuraye” one after another. Badshah called this performance “old-school playback singing,” appreciating the melody and simplicity that made the songs so memorable.

One of the most emotional segments belonged to Asees Kaur of season 6 whose time as a contestant was relatively short for she did not reach the finale. Despite this setback, she established herself as a highly successful playback singer winning multiple Filmfare awards for her song “Raatan Lambiyan.” After Aditya’s light-hearted humour, the singer made her entry and Indian Idol played clips from her days as a contestant. Watching her own journey unfold on the screen left Asees visibly moved. Her simple words— “I got much more than I deserved”—perhaps said everything about what the show has meant to so many young singers. After regaining her composure, she sang “Mahi Bolna” originally sung by her and Arijeet Singh.

Until this point, there was a divine element missing from the celebrations and that changed when Sohail Sufi of Season 16 and Mohd Danish from Season 12 presented the timeless Sufi composition “Chaap Tilak Sab Cheeni Mose Naina Milayke.” The atmosphere in the hall changed completely. For a few magical minutes everyone seemed immersed in the music. Vishal Dadlani stood up to applaud, soon joined by the contestants. It was one of those performances that stays with you long after it ends.

Aditya Narayan, who never lets emotions linger for too long, quickly restored the fun by persuading Ravi Kishan to sing and dance to a humorous folk number “Phulauri Bina Chatni Kaise Bani.” Laughter returned to the auditorium and kept everyone entertained. The atmosphere changed as soon as Manraj Veerand Asees Kaur took over with “Ve Kamleya” and the lively number “Koi Yahan Nache Nache.” Ravi Kishan praised Manraj’s voice and his effortless swag while complimenting Asees for her consistency and the heights she has reached in her career.

The programme churned out more surprises by inviting Ashish Kulkarni of season 12 who introduced his wife Swara Nidhi, a Marathi singer and an influencer. She was soon persuaded to take over as a host for a few moments before Ashish and Jyotirmayee Nayak contestant of season 16, sang the romantic “Aye Mere Sanam, Mar Mitenge Hum.” Swara herself later delighted the audience with a spirited Marathi song “Awaz Vadhva Tula Aye Chi Shapath” alongside Anshika, adding a refreshing regional flavour to the evening.

Anshika and Sreerama Chandra sang 2 numbers one after another “Ek Din Kabhi Jo khud ko Tarashe” and “O Humdum Suniyo Re” which was much appreciated by Judge Badshah, contestants and the audience.

If there was one performance that combined devotion and vocal power, it was “Deva Shree Ganesha.” Which was performed with tremendous energy by Chaitanya Devadhe,Salman Ali, Mohd Danish and Vaibhav Gupta. As the performance was going on, an artist portraying Lord Ganesha appeared on the stage. Many in the audience folded their hands while others were visibly emotional. It was a goose bump-inducing moment. Entire auditorium echoed with the chant “Hare Ram, Hare Ram, Ram Ram Hare Hare.”Vishal perhaps summed it up best when he remarked that only one of these singers alone could blow the roof off the auditorium—here there were four. It was a power packed performance.

Finally, it was left to Abhijeet Sawant, Amit Sana and Prajakta Shukre to bid farewell with “Kal Rahe Na Rahe Hum, Yaad Aayenge Hum.” Originally immortalised by the late KK, the song carried an emotion that touched everyone present. It was the perfect way to end two unforgettable evenings.

As all good things come to an end, so did this memorable celebration. Yet there was one feeling shared by everyone in the auditorium—the audience wanted to hear more, and the singers were just as eager to keep singing.

Perhaps that is Indian Idol’s greatest achievement. It is no longer just a singing competition. It is a family that keeps growing, a stage where dreams continue to come true, and a reminder that good music never grows old.

Long after the final applause faded, one thing remained—the music had found its way home once again.