/> Samir Nair, CEO Star Entertainment India, Answers Charges Of SMS-fudging On Nach Baliye...

Q: What's the truth about Maanav and Shweta feeding SMS votes for themselves on Nach Baliye?
A: I feel sorry for those two contestants. They've done nothing wrong. In any of these competitive shows there's a certain amount of canvassing. We've our own inbuilt security measures to ensure no one misuses the voting system on Nach Baliye.

For example we allow no more than 20 votes from the same e-mail ID or phone number. Last year during Nach Baliye Sachin and Supriya Pilgaonkar were running scrolls on cable systems from the interiors of Maharashtra. It's legitimate garnering of votes. This year Tena

az and Bakhtriar are distributing tee-shirts with their own pictures at traffic signals. As a matter of routine all couples try in their own way to optimise their votes.

Q: But buying so many SIM cards?!
A: It's only routine to get your uncle, aunt and other relatives to vote for you. Because in any case after twenty calls from the same number, we automatically stop taking votes. A contestant needs to buy two million SIM cards to make a difference. So I think we're being unfair to these two contestants.

There's nothing wrong in getting your relatives and friends to vote for you. When on Zee's Sa Re Ga Ma Debojit won it was said he got votes from his home state Assam.. When Abhijit Sawant won on Sony's Indian Idol there was talk of Maharashtrian votes.

When Sachin and Supriya won Nach Baliye last year there was a felling that Maharashtra was behind them in spite of their great performance. The contestants do play up their constituencies. Maanav and Shweta's SIM cards going into the wrong hands is really not their fault.

Q: Last year there was a similar controversy on Nach Baliye regarding Manish Goel and Poonam Nirula.
A: It was exactly the same situation. They bought SIM cards and gave them to their friends and family. We're aware of this strategy. But like I said, we block the SIM card after twenty votes.

A few weeks ago there was a mini-scandal when on Nach Baliye it was alleged that Saroj Khan was asked to give one of the contestants Shweta Tiwari a 10 you asked for it.

Well...Shweta got eliminated. So her supposed friendship with me didn't help her. Seriously, this is too funny.