Sanjaya Malakar very likely to win the American Idol contest

Sanjaya Malakar, the 17-year-old Indian contestant of American Idol is neck-deep in controversy.

Despised by critics, spoofed on televisions, backed by DJ Howard Stern, Sanjaya Malakar is a serious contender to win the American Idol contest. Malakar has already made it to the top nine in the contest.

While Malakar has been much maligned by critics and judges, he seems to hold some appeal for a lot of viewers and has received support from unexpected quarters.

DJ Stern has been consistently promoting Malakar to his approximately six million listeners, according to a timesonline report. What is also helping him is the website VoteForTheWorst.com which is running a campaign to vote for Malakar.



If this sweet-looking son of an Indian father and Italian mother from Seattle wins, it may spell doom for the American Idol franchise, some reports say. Usually, mediocre to poor contestants are voted out early into the contest but if Sanjaya Malakar is not voted out and actually wins the contest, the credibility of American Idol will be rocked.

American Idol is already low on ratings. However, it is also very likely that the fervid interest in Malakar may bolster flagging ratings, with viewers vying to vote him out or in depending on which side of the divide they are.

Controversy is also raging around Malakar's Indian roots. Reports say the Indian American community is pushing hard and garnering votes to keep Malakar in the reckoning.

Meanwhile, American Idol's caustic judge, Simon Powell, has said that he will walk out of the show, should Sanjaya Malakar win.

But the fact remains, however weak Malakar's peformances may be, he has a very strong fan base. Malakar's long flowing hair and winsome smile has made him very popular with young girls. He also has a certain kind of charisma and stage presence which is keeping him firmly in the running.