Rising Star 4 March 2017 episode recap: Phillauri stars Anushka Sharma & Diljit have an entertaining ride!

Monali Thakur, Shankar Mahadevan and Diljit Dosanjh welcome audience to the Rising Star’s Duel Ki Takkar episode where 30 selected contestants will fight it out to reach the top 16! Meiyang Chang explains the rules for Duels Ki Takkar where the wall will remain in front of the second contestant only when the second one garners more votes than the first contestants.

Piyush sings KK’s ‘Tadap Tadap Ke’ from the movie ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ and he falters on the first note but picks up momentum later. The song is tough and Ameya misses a note again at the end of the second stanza. His voting closes at 52 per cent. Piyush says that he is down with fever and he has sore throat. Shankar Mahadevan reminds Piyush that Ameya also had a bad throat once but he missed it from the first note itself. Diljit Dosanjh doesn’t say much after Shankar and Monali’s comments but makes a very strong point — he asks the audience not to vote on the basis of region but on singing.

Ameya comes next on the stage. His mother says in an AV that Ameya got really disheartened after he did not qualify in earlier shows, and she pushed him to participate in Rising Star. Ameya, in his AV, says that he is positive and believes in competing with himself. Ameya starts singing Arijit Singh’s ‘Tum Hi Ho’ and WOAH! he impresses judges instantly. And just 30 seconds into the song, he has already crossed the 52 per cent mark. By the end of the song, he is so immersed in his song that he doesn’t realize that he has got 92 per cent votes! Audience are shouting ‘once more’. And, Ameya is already in the top 16!

Suddenly, Diljit starts pretending to talk to someone on his left and nobody can see anyone on the empty chair kept beside him. Enter, Anoushka Sharma. Anoushka has come for her upcoming movie, Philauri with Diljit, which is releasing on 24 March 2017.

Vikramjeet and Dharmendra are to perform next. Dharmendra recalls how his parents always supported him. Dharmendra sings Arijit’s ‘Khamoshiyan Awaaz Hain’ and within 20 seconds gets Shankar Mahadevan and Monali Thakur’s votes and his voting closes at 84 per cent. He floors everyone with his brilliant performance, even his opponent, Vikramjeet. Shankar Mahadevan tells Dharmendra that he killed it! Vikramjeet comes next, who has to breach th 84 per cent mark. An AV is played and we see how well he was received after getting 96 per cent votes in his first attempt. He sings legendary singer Rahet Fateh Ali Khan’s ‘Naina Thug Lenge’ and just after the first stanza he receives Diljit’s vote. By the end of the song, Vikramjeet has hit 95 per cent with Mahadevan and Monali’s votes! Anoushka praises Vikramjeet’s singing. Vikramjeet is also through to the top 16!

Anoushka and Diljit perform exclusively on the show and release their movie new song, ‘Main Jhooth Boleya, Koye Na’. Audience as well as the other two judges are completely enjoying the song and cheering them! Diljit discloses that for the first time, Anoushka has done the rap in the song. Anoushka thanks the Rising Star team for giving her the platform to dance on a reality TV show.

Next up for Duels ki Takkar are Vikram Labandiya Group and Diljot Qawwali Group. Both are positive of their win. While Diljit has a soft corner for Diljot Qawwali group.

Vikram Labandiya group try their hand at a medley, a mix of Hindi and Gujarati bhajans songs. With the votes from all the experts and audience, their voting closes at 71 per cent. Suddenly, a child artiste, Kavya, enters the stage as ‘Shaku bai’ to promote Colors TV’s new show Chote Miyan Dhaakad, which would be aired from 25 March 2017.

Diljot Qawwali group has to cross the 71 per cent mark. ‘Music In’ and the group sing a combination of ‘Tumse Milke Dil Ka Hai Ye Haal’ and Mika’s ‘Sawan Mein Lag Gayi Aag’ and they kill it with 90 per cent votes! They are the third to enter the top 16, leaving behind the Vikram Labandiya group. The children perform a qawwali for Anoushka and Anoushka is touched!

Last up are Chelsi and Lovleen. Chelsi attempts Sunita Rao’s ‘Pari Hu Main’ and enthrals the audience and the experts alike. Chelsi’s voting meter hits 87 per cent. Lovleen has a tough target in front of her and she sings Nandini Srikar’s ‘Bhare More Naina’ but she misses the mark and her voting stops at 75 per cent. Shankar Mahadevan and Monali are not at all amused by Lovleen’s singing. So, Ameya, Vikramjeet, Diljot Qawwali group and Chelsi qualify for the top 16.!