For a better Sirasa super star season 3

Nataliya Kumarage of Mortauwa writes...

After reading the letters by two readers on constructive changes that should happen in Sirasa Super Star season 3, I felt that I too should express my views on the subject. First of all, I must say that I agree 100% with the idea of accepting only one SMS from one phone. Viewers should be allowed to vote for more than one contestant but only one vote should be allowed to be sent in favour of one contestant.

In the round of 48 contestants, the grouping system seems to be unfair. All contestants should be given numbers from 1 to 48. Then they can sing in the normal way and get votes. That is 8 contestants to sing on one day and votes should be sent in favour of them within a specific period of time. After all the 48 contestants have sung and been voted then can name the 24 contestants who have received the highest number of votes. This same method should be adopted in choosing the 12 finalists from the 24 contestants.

I don't think gender balance in the final round (12) is necessary. It should be the most popular 12 and not the most popular 6 boys and 6 girls. Because in this method less popular people make themselves into the finals leaving more popular ones behind. Just because 12 guys made to the final round in season 1, that doesn't mean girls have to be forced in. If people get attracted to girls, they might vote them in. We saw Amila in season 2 made it to the top 3. This shows that girls get votes and there is no need of forcing them in. Who knows if girls would get more popular in season 3 and all 12 finalists would be girls? So please take only the ones with the highest number of votes without taking gender into consideration.

As all the final 100 contestants are equal in singing talents, I too think that the contestants ability to play musical instruments should be taken into consideration when selecting the final 48. After the final 48 contestants are selected it is good to have different critics instead of bring the judges to comment on their singing. When the same panel of judges come every day, they make their own favourites and they brain wash the people to vote for the ones they (judges) choose. Besides the contestants would get the opportunity to learn what other musicians think of their singing. This would be a good experience for their future.
Stronger panels of judges are necessary. Those who select people based on emotions are not suitable to be judges. We need ones like Ms Nirosha Virajini who only takes talents into consideration.

The final 12 contestants should be given different types of songs to sing instead of allowing them to sing Jothipala's songs everyday. One day is enough for Jothipala's songs. They should sing Nurthi / Nadagam songs, classical, gramophone and various other types of songs. There would be a variation and the viewers can choose the super star that has the best ability to sing all types of songs.

All the contestants should be given the opportunity to sing before the news broadcast for most of the people do not watch the show after the news. This is a disadvantage for the contestants who sing after news. When giving results too it would be better if it is announced before news. Because when results drag on for two hours, the excitement turns into disgust.

Please do not show contestants' personal lives until they are out from the competition whether they are rich or poor, professional or not, married or unmarried, religion which are immaterial for a singing contest like this (not even through newspapers). The only criteria should be their talents. The biggest drawback is the voting in the final night. Two hours is not at all enough for voting. The messages get blocked. At least 24 hours are needed for voting.

Open the lines from Friday night through to Saturday night as usual. When it comes to the final round, people have already decided to whom they would be voting. Those who vote for the performance on the final night too would get the opportunity to vote without a problem then. Please take these proposals into consideration and make Sirasa Super Star more and more successful.