Auditions Each year's competition begins with a set of audition stages, the first being the "Producers' Auditions", is conducted across various cities in the India. This stage is open to all forms of acts and judged by an independent group, and thus determines who will take part in the next stage of auditions titled "Judges' Auditions". These are held in Mumbai in studios. • Film City, Mumbai (season 1–8) • Yash Raj Studios, Mumbai (season 9) • Filmistan Studio, Goregaon, Mumbai (season 10-) Each participant reaching this stage of auditions is held offstage from the main performing area in a waiting room, and given a number that denotes when they will perform. Upon being called before the judges, the participant is given 2–3 minutes to demonstrate their act, with a live audience present for all performances. Each judge is given a buzzer, and may use it during a performance if they are unimpressed, dislike what is being performed, or feel the act is a waste of their time. If a participant is buzzed by all judges, their performance is automatically over. At the end of a performance, the judges give constructive criticism and feedback about what they saw, whereupon they are each given a vote. A participant requires a majority vote approving their performance to proceed to the next stage, otherwise they are eliminated from the program at that stage. Many acts that move on may be cut or forfeit their place, due to the limited slots available for the next stage. Filming for each season begins when the Judges' Auditions are taking place, with the show's host standing in the wings of each venue's stage to interview, and give personal commentary on a participant's performance. From ninth season onwards, acts who did not attend live auditions could instead submit a taped audition online via
SonyLIV. In the fifth season, the show added a new format to the auditions in the form of the "Golden Buzzer", which began to make appearances within the
Got Talent franchise, since it was first introduced on ''
Germany's Got Talent''. During auditions, each judge is allowed to use the Golden Buzzer to send an act automatically into the semi-finals, regardless of the opinion of the other judges. Number of golden buzzer usage per judge varies each season, mostly two. In season 8, the host duo were allowed to use the golden buzzer separately and in season 10 the host could press it again.
Second Round After auditions are completed, the judges conduct a special session (or second "audition" round) to determine which participants will secure a place in the semi-finals of the competition, though the format for this stage has been change several times over the course of the program's history. Between the first and fifth season, the format was changed to match that used in ''
Britain's Got Talent''. Participants who made it through the preliminary auditions had their audition footage reviewed by the judges, who set each one into a specific group, and were not required to perform again (unless the judges requested this). Acts which they liked would be allocated spaces in the semi/quarter finals, with the remainder eliminated from that season's competition. All acts were brought back to learn of the results of the judges' deliberations. Between sixth and eight season, the format was changed and it was different from any Got Talent franchise. Second round was divided into two parts-
Hunar War and
Spotlight. The participants were divided into groups according to genre of their acts and judges can choose on the basis of second performance whether they will advance or not. From season nine onwards, the format was again matched to as of
Britain's Got Talent and
America's Got Talent.
Semi-finals and Quarter-finals Between first and third season, participants who pass their auditions and secure a place in the live quarter-finals of the competitions, are divided into groups and compete against each other to secure a place within the live final of the competition. Live episodes of the competition are held within a set venue (the location has varied). The results were announced the next day of the performance episode. From season four onwards, pre-recorded and edited episodes were telecast where they compete in the semi-final. The results were either announced on the next semi final or on the pre-finale with one performer advancing from public votes and one or two performers advancing from judges' choice. The judges can still use their buzzers to terminate an act. From season nine onwards when the telecasting network was changed from Colors to SET, the show's format after auditions was reimagined and reworked on. Only 14 contestants, including golden buzzer acts advance to
quarter-finals to compete in a weekly competition. All the contestants from in a quarter-final. The results of a quarter-final are announced in the next quarter-final after all the performances. The bottom-most contestants from public votes and judge's scores (not revealed) are called upon, and judges can save two of them (number may vary). The final Top-7 move on to the grand-finale which is also pre-recorded. India's Got Talent becomes first in the Got Talent franchise to have a complete different format and the usage of golden buzzer in quarter-finals to highly appreciate an act. ==Judges and hosts==