Indian Idol (Hindi TV series)

Season synopses

The first season featured judges Anu Malik, Farah Khan, and Sonu Nigam, with hosts Aman Verma and Mini Mathur, and had twelve finalists. The second season had the same judges and hosts, also with twelve finalists. The third season saw judges Javed Akhtar, Anu Malik, Alisha Chinai, and Udit Narayan, with hosts Hussain Kuwajerwala and Mini Mathur, and thirteen finalists. The fourth season aired from 19 September 2008 to 1 March 2009; for the first time, two women were among the top three finalists. Sourabhee Debbarma from Agartala, Tripura won, becoming the first female winner, and received a contract of Rs. 1 crore with Sony Entertainment Television and a TATA Winger; she later released the album Meherbaan. Kapil Thapa was runner-up and Torsha Sarkar finished third. The fifth season had judges Javed Akhtar, Anu Malik, Sonali Bendre, and Kailash Kher, with hosts Hussain Kuwajerwala and Meiyang Chang, and fourteen finalists. The sixth season aired from 1 June 2012 to 1 September 2012; judges were Anu Malik, Sunidhi Chauhan, and Salim Merchant, with hosts Hussain Kuwajerwala and Abhijeet Sawant, and thirteen finalists. Sreerama, Rakesh, and Bhoomi were the top three, with Sreeram crowned winner without announcing the first and second runners-up. The sixth season winner was Vipul Mehta. The seventh season had judges Anu Malik, Sunidhi Chauhan, Salim Merchant, and Asha Bhosle, with hosts Hussain Kuwajerwala and Mini Mathur; on 23 June 2012, the judges selected the top sixteen contestants for the Gala Rounds. The eighth season had judges Vishal Dadlani, Shreya Ghoshal, and Shekhar Ravjiani, with hosts Karan Wahi and Mandira Bedi, and eleven finalists. Indian Idol Junior Season 2 started on 30 May 2015 and finished on 6 September 2015, with judges Salim Merchant, Sonakshi Sinha (replacing Shalmali Kholgade), and Vishal Dadlani, hosts Hussain Kuwajerwala and Asha Negi, and thirteen finalists. The ninth season had judges Anu Malik, Farah Khan, and Sonu Nigam, with hosts Karan Wahi and Paritosh Tripathi, and fourteen finalists. The tenth season had judges Javed Ali, Neha Kakkar, and Vishal Dadlani, with former judge Anu Malik, host Manish Paul, and fourteen finalists.