# Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge Tamil 2009

Zee Tamil's Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2009 Challenge was a reality-based Indian singing competition that aired on Tamil language TV channel Zee Tamil. It was designed to be a talent hunt in Tamil Nadu. The top 15 contestants would have an opportunity to perform with celebrity singers during the main stage of the competition. The show was sponsored by Clinic Plus.
Prem Menon, Zee Tamil TV's business head, confirmed that more than 10,000 aspirants auditioned for the competition throughout Tamil Nadu from which 15 contestants were selected for the competition, before the competition was filtered down to 4 finalists. Top 15 contestant performances and the finals were judged by music director M. S. Viswanathan, veteran playback singers Vani Jairam and Nithyasree Mahadevan, and composer Sharreth. The four finalists of the competition were Anand, Bhargavi, Deepak, and Gopalakrishnan. Contestant Anand was crowned the winner of the competition, with contestant Gopalakrishnan being crowned runner-up and contestant Bhargavi being third-placed in the competition.
The show premiered on 22 June 2009, and episodes were telecast between Mondays and Tuesdays each week at 9:00 pm. Encore telecasts were aired on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 5:00 pm, as well as Saturdays and Sundays each week at 8:00 pm..

## Debut episodes

| Episode # | Title | Original airdate |
| 1 | "Debut Episodes – part 1" | 22 June 2009 (2009-06-22) |
| Chief guests for the debut episode were music directors M. S. Viswanathan, Vijay Antony and Radhika. Singers were brought in a chariot from Vadapalani to the studio set. |||
| 2 | "Debut Episodes – part 2" | 23 June 2009 (2009-06-23) |
| This episode introduced the celebrity singers with whom the final 15 contestants of the show would perform. |||

## Auditions

Open auditions were held across Tamil Nadu. Prem Menon, Zee Tamil TV's business head, confirmed that more than 10,000 aspirants auditioned for the competition throughout Tamil Nadu from which 15 contestants were selected for the competition.
| Episode # | Title | Original airdate |
| 3 | "Tamil Nadu Auditions – part 1" | 29 June 2009 (2009-06-29) |
| First round auditions held in Trichy, Madurai, Thirunelveli, and Coimbatore. |||
| 4 | "Tamil Nadu Auditions – part 2" | 30 June 2009 (2009-06-30) |
| First round auditions held in Chennai, and second round auditions held in Trichy, Madurai, Thirunelveli, and Coimbatore. Judges during the second round auditions were celebrity singers Prasanna, Mathangi, Roshini, Mukesh, Srilkeha Parthasarthy, Sathyen, Jeye Dev, Vinaya, and Kalpana. |||
| 5 | "Tamil Nadu Auditions – part 3" | 6 July 2009 (2009-07-06) |
| Second round auditions held in Chennai. |||
| 6 | "Tamil Nadu Auditions – part 4" | 7 July 2009 (2009-07-07) |
| Behind-the-scenes footage from previous audition episodes. |||
| 7 | "Final Auditions – part 1" | 13 July 2009 (2009-07-13) |
| Further auditions where contestants which were selected from the open auditions competed to be selected in the top 15. |||
| 8 | "Final Auditions – part 2" | 14 July 2009 (2009-07-14) |
| Further auditions where contestants which were selected from the open auditions competed to be selected in the top 15. |||
| 9 | "Final Auditions – part 3" | 20 July 2009 (2009-07-20) |
| Final auditions for contestant selection. The top spots were filled in batches of 6. |||
| 9 | "Celebrity/Playback Singer & Contestant Pairings" | 20 July 2009 (2009-07-20) |
| The top 15 contestants were paired with celebrity/playback singers for the competition. The names of the celebrity singers were placed into two bowls. Male contestants picked out a female celebrity singer randomly from a bowl, while female contestants picked out a male celebrity singer from the other bowl. |||

## Competition Rounds
### Top 15 contestants and celebrity singers

The top 15 contestants selected through the main audition rounds and their pairings with the celebrity singers are as follows:
| Finalist | Gender | Celebrity Singer | Gender |
| Shiva Archana | Female | Mukesh | Male |
| Deepak | Male | Vinaya | Female |
| Anand | Male | Prashanthini | Female |
| Gopalakrishnan | Male | Vijayalakshmi | Female |
| Diwakaran | Male | Kalpana | Female |
| Shruti Vandana | Female | Jayadev | Male |
| Ramesh | Male | Roshini | Female |
| Kalaiwani | Female | Vijay Yesudas(opted out of the show before main competition round) Naveen Madhav (Raveendran's youngest son) | Male |
| Ashwath | Male | Mathangi | Female |
| Manasi | Female | Aslam | Male |
| Raghu | Male | Sangeetha | Female |
| Bhargavi | Female | Belly Raj | Male |
| Anush | Female | Srilekha Parthasarathy | Female |
| Aruna | Female | Sathyan | Male |
| Swathi | Female | VV Prasanna | Male |

### Performances
#### Introduction Round (27 July 2009 – 28 July 2009)

* Permanent Compere: Bhavna Balakrishnan
* Judges: M. S. Viswanathan (music director) & Noyal James (music coordinator of music director A. R. Rahman)
* Performances:
| Air date | Contestant | Celebrity singer | Song | Original artist | Lyricist | Music composer/director | Source/Movie (year) |
| 27 & 28 July 2009 | Shiva Archana | Mukesh | "Where Is The Party" | Priyadarshini & Mukesh | Silambarasan Rajendar | Yuvan Shankar Raja | Silambattam (2008) |
| 27 & 28 July 2009 | Deepak | Vinaya | "Suppose Unnai Kaadhalichu" | Ranjith & Vinaya | | Vijay Antony | Sukran (2005) |
| 27 & 28 July 2009 | Anand | Prashanthini | "Mundhinam Parthene" | Naresh Iyer & Prashanthini | Thamarai | Harris Jayaraj | Vaaranam Aayiram (2008) |
| 27 & 28 July 2009 | Gopalakrishnan | Vijayalakshmi | "Pallanadhu Pallanadhu" | Vidyasagar & S. Rajalakshmi | Yugabharathi | Vidyasagar | Kuruvi (2008) |
| 27 & 28 July 2009 | Diwakaran | Kalpana | "Madurai Jilla" | Karthik & Kalpana | Vairamuthu, Na. Muthukumar, Viveka, & Thiraivannan | D. Imman | Thiruvilaiyaadal Aarambam (2006) |
| 27 & 28 July 2009 | Shruti Vandana | Jayadev | "Ean Enakku Mayakkam" | Sangeetha & Jayadev | Pa. Vijay | Vijay Antony & D. Imman | Naan Avan Illai (2007) |
| 27 & 28 July 2009 | Ramesh | Roshini | "Pottu Thakku" | Silambarasan & Roshini | | Srikanth Deva | Kuthu (2004) |
| 27 & 28 July 2009 | Kalaiwani | Navin Madhav | "Daddy Mummy Veetil Illai" | Mamta Mohandas & Naveen Madhav | Viveka | Devi Sri Prasad | Villu (2008) |
| 27 & 28 July 2009 | Ashwath | Mathangi | "X Machi" | Nakul & Mathangi | Vaali | Harris Jayaraj | Ghajini (2005) |
| 27 & 28 July 2009 | Manasi | Aslam | "Kodana Kodi" | Ranina Reddy, Suvi Suresh, & Rahul Nambiar | Gangai Amaran | Yuvan Shankar Raja | Saroja (2008) |
| 27 & 28 July 2009 | Raghu | Sangeetha | "Dialamo Dialamo" | Vijay Antony & Sangeetha | Vairamuthu, Vijay Antony, & Pugazhendhi | Vijay Antony | Dishyum (2006) |
| 27 & 28 July 2009 | Bhargavi | Belly Raj | "Kangal Irandal" | Deepa Miriam & Belly Raj | | James Vasanthan | Subramaniapuram |
| 27 & 28 July 2009 | Anush | Srilekha Parthasarathy | "Kalyanamthan Kattikittu Odi Pokkalama" | KK, Yugendran, & Srilekha Parthasarathy | Snehan | Harris Jayaraj | Saamy (2003) |
| 27 & 28 July 2009 | Aruna | Sathyan | "Kanavile Kanavile" | Swetha Mohan & Sathyan | | Srikanth Deva | Nepali (2008) |
| 27 & 28 July 2009 | Swathi | Prasanna | "Unnai Ninaithen" | Shreya Ghoshal & Prasanna | | Vijay Antony | Mariyadhai (2009) |

#### Round of 15 (4 August 2009 – 5 August 2009)

* Permanent Compere: Bhavna Balakrishnan
* Judges: M. S. Viswanathan (music director) & Nithyasree Mahadevan (Carnatic music exponent and veteran playback singer)
* Performances:
This week, 15 contestant-singer duos would each present a duet song in front of judges M.S. Viswanathan and Nityashree Mahadevan. Following the 15 performances which were described as "scintillating" by The Hindu, a contestant-singer duo was eliminated from the competition, leaving 14 playback singers and 14 contestants remaining in the competition.
| Air date | Contestant | Celebrity singer | Song | Source/Movie (year) |
| 4 & 5 August 2009 | Ramesh | Roshini | "Aaiyaiyo en usurukkule" | |
| 4 & 5 August 2009 | Bhargavi | Belly Raj | "Pudhu Vellai Mazhai" | Roja |
| 4 & 5 August 2009 | Diwakaran | Kalpana | "Vaa Vaa Pakkam Vaa" | |
| 4 & 5 August 2009 | Shruti Vandana | Jaydev | "Sorgame Endralum" | |
| 4 & 5 August 2009 | Raghu | Sangeetha | "Idhazhil kathai yezhudum" | |
| 4 & 5 August 2009 | Shiva Archana | Mukesh | "Madurai Marikozhunthu" | |
| 4 & 5 August 2009 | Ashwath | Mathangi | "Andru Vandhadum Adhe Nilaa" | |
| 4 & 5 August 2009 | Deepak | Vinaya | "Sundhari Kannal Oru" | |
| 4 & 5 August 2009 | Anand | Prashanthini | "Malare Mounamaa" | |
| 4 & 5 August 2009 | Manasi | Aslam | "Rathiriyl Poothrikkum" | |
| 4 & 5 August 2009 | Anush | Srilekha Parthasarathy | "Oho Endhan Baby" | |
| 4 & 5 August 2009 | Aruna | Sathyan | "Urugude Marugude" | |
| 4 & 5 August 2009 | Swathi | Prasanna | "Oru Kaadhal Dhevadhai Vandhaal" | |
| 4 & 5 August 2009 | Kalaiwani | Naveen Madhav | | |

#### Round of 14 (10 August 2009 – 11 August 2009)

* Permanent Compere: Bhavna Balakrishnan
* Judges: M. S. Viswanathan (music director) & Nithyasree Mahadevan (Carnatic music exponent and veteran playback singer)
* Performances:
    – Contestant is eliminated
| Air date | Contestant | Celebrity singer | Song | Original artist | Lyricist | Music composer/director | Source/Movie (year) |
| 10 & 11 August 2009 | | | | | | | |

#### Round of 13 (17 August 2009 – 18 August 2009)

* Permanent Compere: Bhavna Balakrishnan
* Judges: M. S. Viswanathan (music director)
* Performances:
    – Contestant is eliminated
| Air date | Contestant | Celebrity singer | Song | Original artist | Lyricist | Music composer/director | Source/Movie (year) |
| 17 & 18 August 2009 | | | | | | | |

#### Round of 12 (24 August 2009 – 25 August 2009)

* Permanent Compere: Bhavna Balakrishnan
* Judges: Nithyasree Mahadevan (Carnatic music exponent & veteran playback singer) & Sharreth (composer)

#### Round of 11 (31 August 2009 – 1 September 2009)

* Permanent Compere: Bhavna Balakrishnan
* Judges: Nithyasree Mahadevan (Carnatic music exponent & veteran playback singer) & Sharreth (composer)

#### Round of 10 (7 September 2009 – 8 September 2009)

* Permanent Compere: Bhavna Balakrishnan
* Judges: Nithyasree Mahadevan (Carnatic music exponent & veteran playback singer) & Sharreth (composer)

#### Round of 9 (14 September 2009 – 15 September 2009)

* Permanent Compere: Bhavna Balakrishnan
* Judges: Vani Jairam (veteran playback singer)

#### Round of 8: Jai Ho (21 September 2009 – 22 September 2009)

* Permanent Compere: Bhavna Balakrishnan
* Judges: Vani Jairam (veteran playback singer)
This round required the top 8 to perform songs of an Indian patriotic theme.

#### Round of 7: Freestyle Round (28 September 2009 – 29 September 2009)

* Permanent Compere: Bhavna Balakrishnan
* Judges: Vani Jairam (veteran playback singer)
This round was a freestyle contestant which permitted the contestants to perform any song they wish. Contestant Deepak and celebrity Vinaya were selected last, and sang the song "Chippi Irukkuthu" originally sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam & S. Janaki, with lyrics penned by Kannadasan and music composed by M. S. Viswanathan from the 1980 film Varumayin Niram Sivappu. Anshu and Mansi remained in the elimination circle to face elimination.

### Finals

The finals were held at Kamarajar Arangam. The competition was judged by renowned music personalities, including music director M. S. Viswanathan, as well as veteran playback singers Vani Jairam and Nithyasree Mahadevan, and composer Sharreth. Celebrity playback singers and eliminated contestants also attended the event to support the finalists. Other celebrity personalities were also in attendance at the event and spotted in the audience, including in particular actor-director Cheran, music composer Ramesh Vinayakam, playback singer Chinmayi, and others.
Performances by the finalists of the competition included the following:
| Contestant | Song | Original artist | Lyricist | Music composer/director | Source/Movie (year) |
| Anand | "Oru Naal Podhumaa" | M. Balamuralikrishna | Kannadasan | K. V. Mahadevan | Thiruvilaiyadal (1967) |
| Bhargavi | "Maalai Pozhuthin Mayakkathile" | P. Susheela | Kannadasan | Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy | Bhagyalakshmi (1961) |
| Gopalakrishnan | "Ullathil Nalla Ullam" | Sirkazhi Govindarajan | Kannadasan | Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy | Karnan (1964) |
At the conclusion of the performances, the judges selected the winner of the competition.
Contestant Anand was crowned the winner of the competition, with contestant Gopalakrishnan being crowned runner-up and contestant Bhargavi being third-placed in the competition.