Well known Bollywood singer & composer Salim Merchant of Salim–Sulaiman duo is looking forward to mentoring fresh singers in second season of upcoming &TV musical reality show The Voice India. This season only Shaan remains from the inaugural  edition. Neeti Mohan, Salim Merchant and Benny Dayal will join Shaan on the judging podium. “I have followed the previous seasons (Voice and Voice Kids as well as its international avatars ( Voice US, and Voice UK etc) . The best part is the blind auditions. We only listen to their voices before pressing the buzzer. If more than one judge presses the buzzer, the contestants then gets to choose whose team he/she will join.”

Salim feels he has a stronger team (some episodes have already been canned) for being a composer, singers feel they can get concerts and playback opportunitites through him, which has happened earlier (Indian  Idol 5 ,6 and Junior ). 

When asked if the success of Voice Kids on the  ratings front has prompted him to sign the dotted line, he says, "I don’t go for ratings or Box Office success. Had that been the case I would have not done films like Dor and Iqbal , which did not boast of big stars. Even if Voice Kids had ratings below The Voice1, I would still have taken it up.”

Salim also does not feel that international formatted shows like The Voice India2 will have under handed dealings to choose the winner. “This is not your desi milk shop,  where you can ask for an extra liter of milk.  Here reputed institutions do the proper counting of votes.   Also more than that my personality is not fit for such games. I will not even support my daughter if she did not make the cut.”

Salim also added that he will never agree to have false fights with fellow judges just to raise viewership. “The audience is not stupid, the same guys who watch Voice America also tune into Voice India. I am a highly educated and respected man and will not allow nonsense to enter the show .”

- Anil Merani