The announcement has been made, the jury and the mentors are in place, and the musical claws have been sharpened. The biggest musical reality show between India and Pakistan, SurKshetra, was declared open on 30th August in Mumbai, in a style fit for a show of such proportions.

The event to announce SurKshetra was held in Mumbai, and all of the celebrities associated with this musical extravaganza were present at the occasion. First up, the two firebrand captains of India and Pakistan, Himesh Reshammiya and Atif Aslam, were introduced. Himesh was in absolute patriot mode as he chanted, 'Jai Mata Di' and 'Jai Hindustan' at regular intervals, much to the delight of everyone present. Atif, the Pakistani captain, was a little subdued as he said,”This is not war between the two countries. Its a way of promoting peace and brotherhood between us. The most talented singer will win the competition.”

Next up on the stage was the pretty Ayesha Takia, whose excitement about hosting SurKshetra was palpable. When asked about which country she was rooting for, she said,”If you focus on the music, you won't find any difference in the Indian and Pakistani singers. So I'm supporting the best singer.” 

After the young brigade, it was time for the veterans to take the stage. In a short while, the all female impressive jury comprising of Asha Bhonsle, Abida Parveen and Runa Laila made their appearance. Together, the 3 ladies showed a perfect picture of unity. Asha Bhonsle was at her witty best, sparing no one and entertaining everyone. She pulled Abida Parveen's leg for being the most silent judge on the show, and Abida Parveen accepted this light-hearted comment with giggles and a shake of her head full of hair. But Asha Bhonsle said,” It was a  great experience to judge such musical talent from the two countries. We became great friends in a very short while.” Runa Laila added,”The scoring system, of either 0 or 10 was a headache, but we had a great time judging this young talent.”
So the SurKshetra launch was a testimonial to the singing talent that India and Pakistan have. It was a great mix of competition and brotherhood. And SurKshetra, that starts on 8th September, promises to be no less!