Mr. Punjab Australia 2016- a talent hunt contest that's being organised in Melbourne, has run into controversy with a contestant pulling out over the procedure for selecting the finalists.
Inderjeet Saini pulled out of the contest after he received an email informing him he was selected as a finalist. He was also asked to pay $950 or arrange for two sponsors for the event.
Mr. Saini questioned the procedure of selection of finalists. He said nobody even spoke to him before selecting him as a finalist.
"After I applied, I received an email asking me to send my photos, and I was asked to answer a couple of questions. The next email I got saying I was selected as a finalist."
"I then wrote to the organisers asking them the basis of my selection. But they did not respond to it," he said.
Inderjeet withdrew himself from the contest. He said he had worked as a model for several years, but never came across such an even where participants were selected without auditions, and where they were asked to arrange for sponsors.
Organiser of the event, Atul batra defended the contest. He said Inderjeet's selection was made on a fair procedure because the judges were impressed with his profile.
Defending the decision to ask the finalists to pay $950 or arrange sponsors, he said this event is creating a platform that is unprecedented. He said the winner of the contest will get a role in a movie.
