For Amit Sana, becoming a familiar face on Indian television was not the start of the music career he envisioned. The singer finished as first runner-up on Indian IdolThe first season in 2004, found himself dealing with sudden fame, uncomfortable encounters in Bollywood and long periods without steady work. Eventually, he began to distance himself from the industry, a decision that also came with financial struggles.
In a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Sana explained why she found it difficult to connect with the film and music industry. Indian Idol. She also opened up about the years she struggled to make ends meet despite the fame she gained on the reality show.
Sana was only 22 years old then Indian Idol Changed his life. Coming from a small town, she was not prepared for the attention that followed her appearance on the show. While people suddenly treated him differently, he also found it difficult to understand the world he entered.
“I was getting a lot of attention. People weren’t just crazy about me on the outside, but I could feel the change in my family. I suddenly became very important. I became Amit Sana. It felt very strange because I never saw myself like that,” he said.
The singer said that his experience in Mumbai was a culture shock, especially since his background was in classical music. He got a glimpse of the music industry watching established names like Sonu Nigam and Lucky Ali, but tackling the social circles of Bollywood was a different experience.
Sana recalls how fashion designers approached her to wear her clothes and actors invited her to parties. However, attention did not always feel true to him.
“My problem is that I can’t say no. These experiences didn’t make me respect them like I used to from afar. Most of them were fake. To me, their compliments were like butter to me. I couldn’t understand why, after so many years of stardom, they needed the support of someone like me, who just became famous. I couldn’t connect with them. You should stay drunk. (They will be drunk). They took me to random parties to show off their power. It often felt like they were indirectly threatening me,” he said.
The singer said that he also found a gap between people’s lifestyle and their actual circumstances. “People live fake lives. While they will pretend to own sports cars, in reality they will take auto rickshaws,” he said.
Sana said her inability to refuse requests made her vulnerable in situations she wasn’t comfortable with. Instead of learning to handle them, he began to withdraw from people.
“My weakness was that I couldn’t say no and then I would feel forced. To protect myself from people’s manipulation, knowing my weakness, I started going into a shell, avoiding people,” he recalled.
It also affected his professional relationships. during Indian IdolHe had relationships with judges Farah Khan and Anu Malik. He later tried to contact Farah with songs he had worked on, but eventually stopped when he didn’t get a chance to share his work.
“After a while, it felt weird when they didn’t have time to listen to me. I stopped,” he said.
Looking back, Sana admits that he sometimes wishes she had been more proactive about her career. At the same time, he believes that everyone has their own journey.
After his initial success the lack of regular work became a serious concern. Sana said that he invested a considerable amount of money in the production of his second album, but did not get the promotion he had hoped for.
“I went through financial problems. Struggled to pay my house EMIs. After the release of my first album, I wanted to produce my album. I did my second album and invested a lot of money in it. But, unfortunately, it didn’t get promoted,” he recalled.
Sana later participated Superstar who won In 2008, there was hope that the singing reality show would help her gain some financial stability. However, he was disappointed with the experience and felt that his performance was not appreciated.
He also recalled a difficult period between 2006 and 2008, when he depended on payments from Sony to manage his expenses.
“I could never make money. I was always in a state of struggle. Things were not going well for me. I couldn’t get any shows. I was irritable,” he said.
“I was under contract with them. They would send me a check every three months. I would make a living with it. I couldn’t understand that despite the fame, I didn’t get a job,” he added.
Away from professional challenges, Sana also went through personal difficulties including the end of her marriage. partner Indian Idol Contestant Prajakta Shukre earlier recalled that Rahul Vaidya’s jokes during the competition sometimes hurt Sana.
Over time, spirituality became an important part of his life. Sana credits the Art of Living Foundation with helping her understand herself better and find some stability after years of uncertainty.
Now, the singer is preparing to return to the show that first brought him to the public eye. Return of Indian Idol Legends is set to premiere on October 17.
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