Catch them young 10 Feb 2008, 0000 hrs IST,VAIDEHI CHOKSHI ,TNN Print Save EMail Write to Editor Reality television, daily soaps and even films, star a host of young ones poised on the threshold of fame. (TOI Photo) Half a decade ago, when young children gyrated on a dance show on national television for 15 minutes of fame, irate parents felt it was a fickle pursuit. Today, urban India seems to be wholeheartedly accepting and voting for young hopefuls (in the age group of eight and 14) participating in reality TV shows. From singing, dancing to auditioning for film roles, television and cinema is really catching them young and how! In a country where talent needs a platform, discovering them at a young age and ensuring that winners are in the spotlight, is now the mantra. Sample this: Even children are ambitious for themselves. Darsheel Safary, 11, and a rising star, thanks to Taare Zameen Par , claims he deserves the best actor award and not a child star award! And sometimes parents also invest a lot, emotionally when their young ones seek their flashbulb moment. Recently, a parent suffered a heart attack when his daughter was eliminated from a talent hunt show on television. Can young celebs handle their fame and make creative decisions on their own? Swini Khara, a child star, admits that she’s fond of acting, but the nine- year-old lets her “parents decide on my assignment”. Ahsaas Channa, who plays a central role in Kasamh Se, insists that school doesn’t suffer and she does “homework regularly. I carry my homework on the sets.” And what about reality show participants, do they feel under pressure to perform better than expected? “Of course there are pressures to perform well, but I am happy about it. But my parents don’t push me at all. Instead they encourage me to work harder,” says Prakriti Giri, a participant of a music-reality show for kids. Agrees Swini, “I bagged awards last year, but this year I couldn’t win one. So my parents told me to work harder.” Predictably, most children feel that parental support and guidance keeps them grounded during their quest for stardom. A fact that parents reiterate. Rima Majumdar, mother of a participant of a music reality show, says, “Aishwarya knows we love her irrespective of her performance.” Fame can be heady and can affect a young one’s psyche. How tough is it to cope with the success? “These kids are exposed to lot of glamour and they go through lot of stress. Such exposure in formative years leads to lack of interest in academics,” holds Darshan Shah, a psychiatrist. In the end, performance is the key and only winners will create headlines. Age is just a number then