A stepping stone to Stardom

(R-L) Aly Zaker, Naushad Chowdhury and Faridur Reza Sagar at the launching ceremony of the programme.Photo: SM Nasir

This year, Lux is taking a step further. Partnering with Channel i, one of the leading satellite channels in Bangladesh, a contest is being organised that will provide a golden opportunity for aspiring young women to make a grand entrance into the world of stardom and glamour. This contest has been named the Lux Channel i Superstar.

A press conference was held yesterday at Hotel Sheraton to announce the launching of this programme. The event was attended by journalists and celebrities, such as Subarna Mustafa, Humayun Faridee, Ferdaus, Ishita, Monalisa, Rumana and Kushum Shikder.

Faridur Reza Sagar, Managing Director, Impress Telefilm said "Channel i has always been interested in innovation and it is a great honour to be associated with a power brand like Lux". Naushad Chowdhury, Brands & Development Director of Unilever Bangladesh added, "Lux has always created stars and transformed stars into superstars. We believe that our partnership with Channel i will take the event to a new magnitude and will provide immense opportunities for young women who dream big".

Aly Zaker, chairperson of Asiatic, explained the process of the contest. Any girl over 18, is eligible for the contest. The contestant has to send in 3 photographs (front, side profile and full length), along with a write-up on herself and her talents within 50 words. The entries have to be sent to Lux Channel i Super Star, GPO Box 507, Dhaka. All entries must reach the address by July 5.

The programme will be aired nationally from July and the contest will run for about three months. Lux is looking for bright, young girls with talent and confidence. The talent could be anything, from singing to dancing to acting to poetry recitation. Of course, one would also need that 'X factor', which sets one apart from the rest.

In the preliminary round, 20 girls will be selected from each division of the country. So, from six divisions, 120 girls will face a distinguished panel of judges. From these contestants, 30 girls, five per division will be selected. In the next round, 12 will be selected and these 12 will fight it out in a grand Gala Finale, from which a new superstar will emerge.

The fate of the contestants rests not only on the hands of the judges, but also on the audience. From the second round to the grand finale, the audience will get the chance to vote for their favorite contestants through SMS.

The Lux Channel i Superstar winner will get a chance to star in the next Channel i film and the next Channel i mega-serial, and obviously a grand entry into the glittering world of Lux as a brand ambassador.

Renowned actress, Subarna Mustafa presented a speech on behalf of the Lux stars. She spoke on her long association with Lux, and about the importance of such events. "Bangladesh has a pool of beautiful, talented, young women, just waiting to be discovered. I am glad that the Lux Channel i Superstar is actively aiming to promote talent from all corners of the country" she commented.