Prashant Tamang’s win to become this year’s Indian Idol, watched by millions across the country, has brought to an end several months of competition. Such contests are tailor-made for television, blending the joy of rooting for the underdog with all the ingredients of a good Bollywood film - drama, humour, glamour and, of course, music. 'Indian Idol', and other similar competitions, has generated collective hysteria across the country. Viewers have vicariously lived their own dreams via the participants and every twist and turn in the competition has provided grist for water-cooler conversations in offices and at the dinner table. Another hugely popular talent search on the telly, ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’, has given top soap operas a run for their money. Viewer engagement with these talent hunts is unprecedented. Participation is immense not only at the level of the contestants, but also of the viewers - they faithfully SMS or call to vote for their favourite contestant. If there is one trend that is apparent, it is that people tend to root for the underdog. Nobody likes an obvious winner. But this particular round of competition has been made special by the way in which it brought together various ethnic groups in Meghalaya - which have a history of discord - on the same page, at least for a while. As they cheered in chorus for the losing finalist, Amit Paul, ethnic tensions were temporarily suspended. His visits there were greeted with euphoric declarations of support by screaming hordes that compared with the reception the Fab Four might’ve got, back in their day. People came out in support of their idol, taking to the streets to cheer him on. Everybody, from elderly villagers to politicians, including the chief minister, had one agenda: help make Amit the next Indian Idol. And, indeed, the excitement was not limited to Meghalaya or West Bengal, where the winner, Prashant, hails from. It is an event India as a whole took part in, and had a jolly good time while at it. This season of ‘Indian Idol’ - and other popular talent hunts that are televised - reiterates television’s clout and the role it plays in connecting people via a shared virtual experience.