'It's a dream come true to win Indian idol'

'When I started my journey in Indian Idol, a lot of people laughed at me for not knowing Hindi well. I did feel bad but I did not let anything negative affect me and took it as a challenge.'

Meet Indian Idol 9 winner V Revanth.

Hyderabad-based playback signer V Revanth won the ninth season of Indian Idol despite strong competition from PVNS Rohith and Khuda Baksh. The 26-year-old has won Rs 25 lakh and a contract with Sony channel for a year.

Revanth sang his first film song -- Jhalak Diklaja -- in 2008 for the Telugu film Maha Yagnam. He has sung about 200 songs in Telugu, Kannada and Oriya films, including films like Baahubali: The Beginning, Badrinath and Raanjhanaa. He has won several awards as well.

"I participated in many regional music reality shows but I have never won," Revanth says happily. "I want to thank all the people who have supported me in my journey to win the first ever show of my life. It’s a dream come true to win Indian idol. It's the best thing that has happened to me. The journey right from Day One has been filled with joy, anxiety, fun, nervousness, friendship and much more. I am thankful to the judges for guiding me through the season so that I could perform better each time.”

Revanth says that he's been getting messages to participate in American idol as he "will rock there too."

The young singer confesses that though he has been living in Mumbai for the last four months for Indian Idol, he is unable to give interviews in Hindi.

"It is not easy to win the title being a south Indian singer. I saw this show as a big opportunity. When I started my journey in Indian Idol, a lot of people laughed at me for not knowing Hindi well. I did feel bad but I did not let anything negative affect me and took it as a challenge," he says.

"The four-month journey in this show has changed my life," he adds. "We had the best music trainers who groomed and supported me through out. Since they knew my Hindi was not good, they corrected my diction and motivated me, saying I am a rockstar. The Indian idol team were like my energy booster, I have already started missing them!"

Now, Revanth has his eye on Bollywood.

"I have to make it big in Bollywood," he says. "I would like to sing for everyone but Akshay Kumar is my favourite. But I will need to work on my Hindi because it’s not easy to make a mark in the industry as there is so much competition. I will try start learning music professionally too because I am an untrained signer. I managed to reach so far because of my experience."

Revanth has already got an opportunity to sing a Hindi number -- he will sing the title track of Sony Entertainment Television for's new show Sabse Bada Kalakar.

Revanth recieved his award from legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and he says it was a great moment.

"I will always cherish the moment of receiving the trophy from Sachin sir. He is so humble despite being such a big cricketer. Indian won the 1983 World Cup on April 2 and I won the Indian Idol title on the same day!" he exclaims.

Revanth said he wanted to make a career in music from childhood. "I lost my father at a very young age. My brother and I were in our teens then. We used to take up jobs in catering and singing in temples to make an extra buck and fund our education. The family conditions never allowed me to do anything big. I came to Indian Idol to sing, not win or lose."

So what will he do with the prize money?

"I want to give 10 percent of the money to charity, for the education of the underprivileged. I want to go back to Hyderabad and celebrate with my family and friends," he says.

Pictures from the grand finale:

Sunil Grover's Dr Mashoor Gulati has some fun on the show.

 

Contestants give the show's judge Anu Malik a gift to remember them by.

 

Dr Mashoor Gulati gives Anu Malik a treat!

 

Farah Khan, who is a judge of Indian Idol, dances with Arshad Warsi, who will judge Sony's Sabse Bada Kalakar.

Incidentally, both of them started their movie careers as choreographers.

 

Raveena Tandon, who will also judge Sabse Bada Kalakar, dances with Indian Idol winner Revanth.

 

Children, who will participate in Sabse Bada Kalakar, get their first taste of reality TV.

 

Singer Malvika Sunder and Indian Idol 2016 contestant Mohit Chopra, with the show's hosts Paritosh Tripathi and Karan Wahi.

 

'Rinku Bhabi' brings on the laughs with Indian Idol finalist Khuda Baksh.

 

And then some more with Indian Idol judge Sonu Nigam.

 

Rinku bhabi poses with the Idols: Khuda Baksh, Revanth and PVNS Rohith.

 

Finishing it off with a song, as Sugandha Mishra takes centrestage.