The singing reality show Indian Idol 12 came to an end on August 15 with a grand finale which took place in a 12-hour format. As the clock struck 12 at midnight, the host of the show Aditya Narayan announced contestant Pawandeep Rajan as the winner of the season. The Uttarakhand boy walked away with a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh and a Maruti Suzuki Swift. While he came first, his co-contestant Arunita Kanjilal and Sayli Kamble were announced as the first and second runner-ups. During the course of the show, Arunita and Pawandeep have grabbed attention because of their friendship. In a recent interview, Pawandeep opened up about what his close friend said when they shared a hug after his victory.
In an interview with Indian Express, Pawandeep revealed how his bestie reacted during the finale episode. He said, "We haven’t got much time to speak but on the stage, Arunita said congratulations and that she is really happy for me."
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Speaking about winning the show, he said, "It’s an unmatched feeling to be holding the trophy. However, given the close bond we formed over the past few months, I wanted each one of us to win. I wish I could share the trophy with all my five other finalists. It’s a very mixed feeling for me right now. I know that everyone is so talented that we will all forge great careers soon. We will also be collaborating together whenever we get a chance."
The ardent followers will be aware of the fact that Pawandeep and Arunita's so-called 'friendship' became the talk of the town so much so that fans started addressing them as #AruDeep. The two of them have however refused all the rumours. There were many who criticized the makers for cooking up romantic angles.
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Responding to the same, Aditya in an interview with Bollywood Spy said, "Hum masti karte hai (We are just having some fun). People say that we cook up make-believe affairs on reality shows. So what? Did we ever say no? We do it. Ye dhong hai (This is all lie). But you enjoy it no? Because we love to do it."
Coming back to the show, Indian Idol 12 remained in the limelight for a number of controversies. It all started when legendary singer Kishore Kumar's son Amit Kumar claimed that the makers asked him to praise all the contestants regardless of their performances. He even said that he did not enjoy the special episode much.
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Meanwhile, the finale episode took place on Sunday, August 15 on the ocassion of Independence Day. It was attended by several singers, including Kumar Sanu and Udit Narayan.
