Kumar Sanu's Diwali surprise: TV gift for Sa Re Ga Ma Pa contestant's parents

Dubai: Veteran playback singer Kumar Sanu has won hearts with a thoughtful gesture on the sets of Zee TV's singing reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2026, promising to gift a television to contestant Durgesh Yadav's parents so they can watch their son perform.

The emotional moment unfolded during the show's upcoming Diwali special episode, when Durgesh received an unexpected surprise — a visit from his guru, Pt. Shri Girijashankar Tripathi.

Durgesh had hoped to meet his guru on the show, but his wish remained unfulfilled until the team arranged the surprise. The contestant was visibly moved when his mentor appeared on the set.

During their interaction, the judges learnt more about Durgesh's background. He hails from Mau in Uttar Pradesh, where his family owns a small plot of agricultural land and depends on farming for its livelihood.

His guru then revealed a detail that touched everyone on set: Durgesh's parents do not own a television and therefore cannot watch their son's performances on the show.

Moved by the revelation, Kumar Sanu immediately stepped forward to help.

"A television will be sent to your home from my side today itself, so that your mother and father can sit together at home and watch your performances on the show," Sanu said.

The gesture turned the Diwali special into an emotional occasion for Durgesh, who was delighted by the prospect of his parents finally being able to watch him perform on television.

The upcoming episode will feature a festive musical celebration, with performances by contestants and judges, special jugalbandis and Diwali-themed moments. Host Shreyas Talpade will also entertain viewers with his interactions with the participants and judges.

Born Kedarnath Bhattacharya in Kolkata on October 20, 1957, Kumar Sanu is among India's most celebrated playback singers. He rose to fame with the 1990 film Aashiqui and became one of Bollywood's most recognizable voices. He won five consecutive Filmfare Awards for Best Male Playback Singer from 1991 to 1995 and received the Padma Shri in 2009.

Sanu has reportedly recorded around 22,000 songs in 26 languages during his career. He also holds a Guinness World Record for recording 28 songs in a single day in 1993. His memorable hits include songs from Saajan, Deewana, Baazigar, 1942: A Love Story and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.

Sanu has a long association with music reality television. He was among the judges of the first edition of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, which debuted in 1995. He later judged Waar Parivaar in 2008 and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Bangla in 2010.

He also served as a judge on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li'l Champs alongside Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan, and later appeared on Indian Idol 14.