Talent Outwits Looks

Insync

oi-Staff

By Staff

Thursday, May 28, 2009, 11:17

When Susan Boyle walked up the stage at the reality show, Britian's Got Talent, Episode one, for the first time, the indifferent attitude from the audience was vivid. It was clear that her fellow mates, too, were not keen to befriend this lady. The judges couldn't help but ignore her. More than the performance, it was the wait for her turn to get over. Simon Cowell, one of the talent judges, must have already discarded her even before she could get started with the song. No, she had no personal grudges with anybody; if that's what you are thinking. As a matter of fact, she was the face, the only face that nobody had seen or think before. Mind the latter as you read along. So, what was with everybody? Where was the problem? Well, just like any other day, it was the looks of Susan Boyle that had taken aback all these people, including the judges.

Whilst all the participants were suited up for the ceremony, ready with close-grained make up, flaunting every possible thing that would bring them to limelight, Susan Boyle, the most unfamiliar face, from the little known Scottish Village appeared in the show in a tacky clothes, better if not mentioned, and shabby hair to belt a song like 'I dream a Dream' from the musical Les Miserables. And when she did, the power house performance was enough to make everyone mum. Yes, it was a performance that bewildered everyone present in the show. And now, Susan's life seems to have taken a complete U-turn. How? Since the day of her performance, she has already hit more than ten million views in you tube, appeared as the guest with none other than Larry King in his longest running show in CNN, Larry King's Show, and soon she will be seen in the Oprah Winfrey Show. Could you ask for more?

So, today, Susan Boyle is happy and contended with her life. She possibly doubts her own faith, but is Boyle alone who is in those shoes? Ok, great, she has proven herself in the show, but does every one get a chance like that? Why does look always plays the predominant role for some body to have an impression on you? Everybody may not be lucky to prove their talent, if the opportunity is at length. "I couldn't take my eyes off the video. It was amazing to see this lady singing. But I was taken aback to see the audience and the judges. None of them had believed that she could sing well," says Shreya, student pursuing M.A. in communication in Bangalore.

"I'm glad that she proved them wrong. The stigma that lies in somebody who is not beautiful is sad," concludes the girl, rather rhetorically. There were others who thought beauty is anything but a superficial thing. "I don't believe in physical beauty. Beauty lies in the inner soul and not how you look like," says Kagkan, student pursing B.Mus from Malaysia. He adds: "Beauty is not a thing that will stay with you till you die. It fades as time goes by. What retains are your talent, which is the most important thing in a human soul."

With Susan being in the news, it must, for sure, have come as the air of hope for a lot of those who must have had been on similar shoes in some point of time. "It's true. People tend to give more concern to those who are beautiful. I have seen my friend who had suffered because of it". "But over time, talent speaks for it self, but it's time consuming. I feel what should matter to people is the talent and not anything else," says Rinki, an air hostess, in an emphatic voice. Her friend, Saheli shared a mutual understanding when asked about her opinion. "I agree, looks is important, but it should be the talent that people should give their prime concern. Beauty lies in heart, and it's some thing that can be felt and not seen."

It may take a long time for this stigma to fade away from the human mind, but one thing that is for sure is that it's people like Susan Boyle who can bring the difference. And with instances like this the day may not be far when the very phrase "Handsome is as handsome does" will be a reality-thing.