Ask him what his success mantra is, and Gajendra replies, "Truth. Whatever I do, I do honestly in my shows. There is no melodrama. That is why people love them because they are all real."
But when asked that the winners of his shows don't always become Bollywood leading playback singers, he counters, "Kunal Ganjawala and Shreya Ghosal are one of the biggest singers of the industry. They are products of Sa Re Ga Ma."
"It also depends on the determination on the contestants," he adds. "They cannot replace Sonu Nigam or Shaan overnight. They have to work hard to get work in the industry."
So does he rent his home's balcony to other struggling aspirants in film industry? "I give them my house and not the balcony," he laughs.
Then he adds in a serious tone, "I help people. But I must see the fire in their eyes. They must have focus. If someone in Azamgarh says that you have good face, it does not mean you can land up in Mumbai and become a hero. One has to have focus like I had. I did an editing course and worked hard."
Even today, Gajendra edits his own shows.
But Gajendra's dreams are far from over. "I would love to direct a film," he says. "I have spoken to music director Ismail Durbar about this."
In the picture: Zee TV's Hero Honda Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge's finalists Vinit and Debojit.
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