Roadies event, the poster boy of Indian reality TV – who has won the love of the audience four times in a row by winning
Roadies 12, Bigg Boss 9, Splitsvilla 8 and
Nach Baliye 9 – spoke about his success formula, explained the reason behind fights on reality shows and urged youngsters to be their own inspiration. Excerpts:
This is not the first time you are coming to Kolkata. How do you like the city?
I have been coming to Kolkata since 2015 and every visit has been great. The people here are so welcoming. Every time I come to this city, I notice more flyovers and construction work all around. This time I felt that Kolkata’s traffic is quite the same as Mumbai.
Reality TV winners often go missing from the spotlight once the initial craze subsides. But you managed to stay put with a series of wins. What’s your success formula?
I am blessed with people’s love. I always make sure to be myself at all times. When you reveal your true self to fellow contestants as well as the viewers, they tend to relate to you better. The shows I participated in had a lot of actors, who were conscious of their image.
Hum insaan hain. Humara achha phase
bhi hain aur bura phase
bhi. Hum dono hi dikhayenge logo ko. This is how I think. If someone is looking to participate in reality shows, they should think from the audience’s point of view.
You have been part of TV shows like Badho Bahu, Laal Ishq and Naagin 3. Do you feel reality TV has paved the way for you to explore your acting career further?
Yes, of course. Reality shows give you instant fame. But it is up to you to decide how you want to utilise it. Some people just waste the opportunity by basking in the glory or partying a lot. But those six to eight months of fame are crucial. At the end of the day, everyone wants to act. So, why not use that time to try and get good shows and groom yourself for bigger opportunities? Reality shows are like the steps that lead to your ultimate goal of acting. These shows open a lot of doors, you need to know which one to choose.
Being on reality shows is not the same as acting in serials. Which one do you enjoy more?
I enjoy both actually. When I am acting, I enjoy the fact that I can play different characters and work on their nuances. I also get to groom myself and use my creativity. In reality shows, whatever happens is straight in your face and you have to deal with it head on, in front of the camera. Both have their own charm, but cater to different sets of audiences.
Is it true that reality shows are scripted and you need to act there too?
Not at all. Until I participated in a reality show, even I used to think
arre yaar, itna kaise lad sakte hain yeh log? But when you are staying with unknown people where each one is there to compete with you for winning the title, fights are inevitable. Didn’t we see people fight with their family members during the lockdown?
Digital platforms are gradually overshadowing films and television. Since you have worked for the web too, how would you compare TV and digital as entertainment platforms?
In India, it will be impossible for digital platforms to sideline TV for the next 10-15 years. The reason being that most people in our country live in the rural areas where dish and cable TV still enjoy more popularity than smartphones and laptops. The rest, which is urban India, chooses both from time to time. But one good thing about digital platforms is that it has employed a lot more people than TV could. Many good actors were struggling to get work because of lack of connections or other reasons. Now, at least, most of us have some or the other show in hand.
What is your advice to youngsters keen on participating in reality TV shows?
It’s better not to get inspired by me. The best thing is to be one’s own inspiration. When one looks into the mirror and feels inspired,
woh apne guzre huye kal se apne aane wale kal ko behtar bana sakte hain. There’s a lot of insecurity in our line of work. I would ask people not to be insecure. They need to trust their own hard work and believe in God. They will always get their due. The moment you understand this, you will be happy and work better.
Source: TOI
