'I was shocked and heartbroken'- Manjeera Ganguly

The maiden elimination of Sony TV's X Factor India came as a shocker for the viewers and even for the judges.

Manjeera Ganguly is believed to be the contestant with a Pitch Perfect voice and it was unfortunate that the show lost her at the end of the very first Concert Round.

In a candid chat with Telly Buzz, Manjeera shares her experiences in the show.

How was the journey so far?
The journey has been very nice and a learning experience. I had a great mentor like Shreya Ghoshal who is really a very good human being from whom I learnt certain techniques of singing. I learned how to sing and dance through this show and I would like to thank my choreographer Neerav for this. It is tough performing with singing and dancing together, but once you grasp it, it is fun to do.

Did you expect to be the first evict?
Not at all. I did not ever expect this to happen especially after giving a performance for which I got great comments last week.

You were the pitch perfect contestant; you believe what happened is not right?
Yeah, to an extent I really feel so. But it is fine with me. We are entertainers and our main job is to entertain. And I think I have done that.

What was the one thing that came to your mind when your name was announced?
I was shocked and heartbroken. Tears rolled down through my cheeks.  

How is Shreya Ghoshal as a mentor?
Very nice. She is really cool and really approachable. She does not really get irritated when we go wrong sometimes. It is really easy to be with a mentor like that.

If given a choice, who would you choose as your mentor?
That's a difficult question because Sonu Nigam is my favourite and I also want to work with Sanjay sir. Sanjay sir is a director and a director understands a singer the most. He makes it easier for the singer to understand to feel the song because he will describe the situation and the context of the song.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali had said that you are a big threat to the other singers; comments?
That was so sweet and I am grateful to him. Please give me a break.

How has X Factor India changed your life?
Genuinely I can say that the show has given me a good exposure because my number of friends increased from 56 to 700. I am happy that people liked my performance and now I am recognized everywhere.

Who do you think was the strongest contender for you in the show?
I feel that Sahiti and Shovon are great singers and in teams I think Deewana and Nirmiti are really good and they are really creative. They have great chances to win.  

Who do you think deserves to win X Factor India?
Sahiti or Shovon.

Reporter and Author: Saranya Valsarajan