MUMBAI:  With over a decade of experience in the reality TV show business, singer-music composer Anu Malik says the audience loves him because he is 'real' on the small screen and not 'scripted'.

Malik has been part of various telly entertainers like Indian Idol and Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega. He is currently seen on &TV's Comedy Dangal.

Talking about the growth and business of reality TV shows, Malik told IANS here: "Things keep on changing for the good. Reality TV is something... people believe in that word 'reality'. If you use the world reality and you don't show some reality, it doesn't work."

"If it is scripted, they (audience) don't like it. Anu Malik is loved because they (audience) feel that he is not scripted."

Malik says he likes to be spontaneous. 

"I don't believe in written scripts or in looking at the teleprompter and reading lines. People love that," said Malik, known for his impromptu couplets on Indian Idol.

Often, people have spoken against having children in reality TV shows. In fact, in July filmmaker Shoojit Sircar in a tweet had asked authorities to ban reality TV shows that have children as participants. He said not only such shows are destroying the kids emotionally and physically, but also taking away their innocence in early ages.

Asked if the concept should be scrapped, Malik said: "I don't think so. Children are great talent... But I do believe that they should not be stressed out at all." 

"You should give the space to children and not make them work so much. But in this space, if they have talent and they want to prove or show something, they should be allowed to do so. After all, the children are the great future of our country," he added.

Earlier this year, there was an uproar about Sonakshi Sinha performing at Justin Bieber's maiden concert in India.

Does he feel singers and musicians are not getting their due in the industry?

"What was wrong in Sonakshi singing or performing? What is wrong with Shah Rukh Khan singing a song or what is wrong with Salman Khan singing a song... I enjoy that, but they are not going to make it their profession," he said. 

He says he would enjoy seeing actors perform. 

"They enjoy it because they want to have a break from what they are doing. I would say, I would have enjoyed seeing Sonakshi or any actor performing because people are also smart as they know it is a one-off thing for them. So what is the hue and cry?" he said. 

On the film front, Malik is working the entire score of filmmaker J.P. Dutta's Paltan.

(Source: IANS)