Kanpur's Vaibhav Gupta wins 'Indian Idol 14', sings 'Joru Ka Ghulam' with Sonu Nigam

Vaibhav was one of the six finalists, who included Shubhadeep Das Chowdhury, Ananya Pal, Adya Mishra, Piyush Panwar and Anjana Padmanabhan.

Shubhadeep and Piyush were declared the first and second runners-up, and they went back home with a trophy and a cheque of Rs 5 lakh each. Ananya was the third runner-up, which entitled her to Rs 3 lakh, besides a trophy.

Sonu Nigam, who judged the first two and ninth editions of the show, was the special judge for the grand finale. Neha Kakkar, who will be seen as the 'super judge' in the upcoming season of the reality show, 'Superstar Singer', also joined the finale episode.

For the 'Pyarelal Symphony' challenge, Vaibhav sang 'Jumma Chumma', from the 1991 action crime drama 'Hum', starring Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Govinda, Kimi Katkar and Anupam Kher.

Vaibhav's last song for the finale was a duet with Sonu Nigam.

They belted out 'Joru Ka Ghulam', the titular song of the Year 2000 comedy featuring Govinda, Twinkle Khanna, Kader Khan and Johnny Lever.

Stating how surreal it felt to lift the coveted 'Indian Idol 14' trophy, which first went to Abhijeet Sawant, Vaibhav said: "Taking forward the legacy of this beloved and prestigious show is a tremendous honour. This journey has been an exhilarating rollercoaster filled with multiple emotions, challenges and unforgettable moments."

Vaibhav is grateful to every single person who believed in him -- the judges who guided him with their wisdom, or the incredible team that nurtured his talent and turned his dream into a reality.

"But above all, my deepest gratitude goes to the amazing audience whose unwavering support fueled my determination and made me give it my all. Thank you for embracing my journey, for voting for me, for cheering me on, and making me feel like a true idol," Vaibhav added.

The acclaimed playback singer Kumar Sanu, one of the show's three judges, said: "Watching Vaibhav lift the trophy gives me immense happiness. From the moment I first saw his performance, I recognised his immense potential."

Fellow judge Shreya Ghoshal amplified Sanu's sentiments: "Right from the audition, Vaibhav has shown versatility and throughout the competition, he has kept surprising us with his performances."

Vishal Dadlani, the third judge, concluded by noting that Vaibhav showed "versatility in his vocals", and that it has been "incredible to see him perform live".

He added: "Personally, I can't wait to see the success that comes his way."

For the finale, Neha sang her famous track 'Garmi', which was picturised on Varun Dhawan and Nora Fatehi in the 2020 film 'Street Dancer 3D'.

Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal performed together on the tracks -- 'Piyu Bole', 'Tere Bin', and 'Soniyo'.