IJSMB: Articles Corner

'Ghana Jungle' on Sony..
13 June 2009 | 12:20am

Sony's upcoming reality show shot in the jungles of Malaysia will have 10 celebrities performing adventurous tasks...

Ten celebrities deep down in the jungles of Malaysia working on given tasks to survive in the show!!

Yes, this will be the concept of Sony's upcoming reality show tentatively titled 'Ghana Jungle', produced by Miditech.

According to our source, "The concept of the show will be basically a combination of Fear Factor and Bigg Boss. The entire crew will be flying to Malaysia later this month, and the show will be shot in the thick jungles out there. There will be ten celebrities in total who will be given various adventurous tasks to perform which will enable them to stay on in the contest. The crew will stay put in Malaysia for nearly two months".

If sources are to be believed, Shweta Tiwari who was seen hosting Sony's Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa has been approached to take part in the show. "Though no names of celebrities have been finalized, Shweta Tiwari and Mouli Ganguly have been approached for the same".

We tried calling Shweta Tiwari, but she remained unavailable for comments.

Mouli Ganguly refused to be part of such a show.

We tried calling Gurdip Bhangoo, Programming Head, Sony Entertainment Television but he was busy.

Reporter and Author: Ranjini Nair

Ghanaa Jungle raises curiosity..
20 June 2009 | 11:06pm

Sony's upcoming reality show Ghanaa Jungle has an interesting and gripping concept, and is also tipped to have big names from all walks of life..

Sony Entertainment Television's adventure based show to be shot in the jungles of Malaysia, Ghanaa Jungle has been the talk of the industry for the past few days.

However, the celebrity list for the show has been kept under wraps and media has been busy making speculations on who can be part of the show.

Telly Buzz gives you a brief on the concept of the show. According to our source, "All were guessing that the show is a mix of Fear Factor and Bigg Boss, but the truth is that the show's concept is inspired from the UK based show I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!!. The original reality show was produced by ITV Productions for the ITV Network in Britain. In the show, celebrities live in jungle conditions with few comforts and have to earn human essentials. ABC aired one season of the American version in February. But on Sony, the show will be produced by Miditech and it has celebrities from all walks of life".

"The show is expected to launch in the first week of July, and will air for 8 weeks. The channel and the production house have planned to keep the celebrity list as a secret, and for this reason the promos with celebrities will be shot only in Malaysia. Special planning is being made for the entry of each of the celebrities into the house there. It is learnt that there will be a gap of at least four hours between the entries of every celebrity. Each celebrity will enter the house in a particular way, for example, if one celebrity enters the house via bungee jumping, the other will make a grand entry from an airplane", adds our source.

We were the first to report that Shweta Tiwari and Mouli Ganguly have been approached for the show. "Though much about the names are not known, Shweta Tiwari, Mouli Ganguly and even Karan Singh Grover are some of the names that are being tipped to be part of the show", concludes our source.

Well, all eyes are surely on this particular celebrity list that will make it to the deep jungles of Malaysia…

Reporter and Author: Ranjini Nair

Ruby Bhatia, Deepal tipped to be in Iss Jungle...
24 June 2009 | 6:32pm

Ruby Bhatia, Deepal Shaw and Karan Wahi have been approached for Sony's upcoming reality, Iss Jungle Se Muje Bachao..

Sony's adventure based reality show, 'Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao' on the lines of the popular UK based show, I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here will launch on 6th July.

The names of the celebrities who will be thrown into the jungles of Malaysia has been kept under wraps, but our source has dug out few names who have been approached.
"Ruby Bhatia the popular television personality who was a VJ with Channel [V] has been approached for the show. Another name that is floating around is of the item girl, Deepal Shaw who is popularly known as Baby Doll. Deepal started her career as a model and then turned to be a singer. She made her acting debut in Mahesh Bhatt's controversial film Kalyug", informs our source.

"Karan Wahi, the young lad of Remix fame who is presently seen in the COLORS show Mere Ghar Aayi Ek Nanhi Pari has also been approached for the show", adds our source.

However, when we called up Karan he accepted that he was offered the show, but is not doing it. "Yes, I was offered the show. I would have loved to do this show, as it throws you into the jungle. Unfortunately, I cannot do it as I cannot move out of the country as I am doing a daily soap on COLORS".

Few other big names who have been approached are Faizal Khan brother of Aamir Khan, Adnan Sami's wife Sabah and the Bollywood sexy siren Antara Mali.

The show will also see the comeback of the very talented host Mini Mathur to Sony Entertainment Television. Mini had hosted the first three seasons of Indian Idol. Recent reports had mentioned that popular actor and host Hussain Kuwajerwala has been tipped to co-host the show along with Mini. But the latest is that Yudhister the VJ turned actor will now be hosting the show.

As we had reported earlier, Shweta Tiwari and Mouli Ganguly are also tipped to be part of the show as contestants.

Reporter and Author: Srividya Rajesh

Upen, Mimoh and Aditya approached for Iss Jungle..
30 June 2009 | 1:26am

Here's more to the celebrities approached for the upcoming Sony show, Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao...

Well, various celebrity names continue to pop up for Sony's adventure-based reality show Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao, to be held in the jungles of Malaysia, even as we get to hear that the final celebrity list will be finalized in a day or two.

According to our source, "The latest on this is that, Bollywood celebrities Aditya Panscholi, the macho man son of Mithun Da, Mimoh Chakraborty and handsome hunk Upen Patel have been approached for the show".

Other names which have been tossed up for the show include Shweta Tiwari, Mouli Ganguly, Ruby Bhatia, Deepal Shaw, Karan Wahi, Fiza Chand, Chetan Hansraj, Aman Verma, Faizal Khan, Antara Mali etc.

The show will be hosted by Mini Mathur and Yudhister.

We sent a text message to Gurdip Bhangoo of Sony, but he remained unavailable for comments.

Let's wait and watch to see how the final line-up for this much hyped show looks like...

Reporter and Author: Ranjini Nair

Mona Vasu and Negar Khan in Iss Jungle...
30 June 2009 | 11:38pm

The buzz is that Mona Vasu and the Norwegian actress Negar Khan might be part of Sony's adventure based show, Iss Jungle Se Muje Bachao..

Mona Vasu who impressed all in NDTV Imagine's Radha Ki Betiyaan Kuchh Kar Dikhayengi seems to be back in business as she is one of the celebrities approached for Sony's Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao.

Though Mona refuses to be part of the show, our source informs us that she has been approached and is on way to sign on the dotted lines.

"Along with Mona Vasu, Negar Khan the Iranian-Norwegian actress who got famous for her topless poses in one of the Norwegian magazines is also tipped to be part of the show. Chetan Hansraj and Fiza are also almost finalized for the show", informs our source.

We sent a text message to Gurdip Bhangoo of Sony, but he remained unavailable for comments.

Reporter and Author: Kshama Rao

Ishq Bector to do Iss Jungle...
02 July 2009 | 9:50pm

Ishq Bector the hip-hop artist who is a singer, song writer, producer and performer will take part in Sony's Iss Jungle Se Muje Bachao..

Reports are that the launch of Sony's adventure based show, Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao, on the lines of I'm a Celebrity.. Get Me Out of Here, has been delayed by a week, as few of the contestants who are to reach the jungles of Malaysia are yet to sign on the dotted lines.

However, news is that Ishq Bector, the Indo-Canadian Hip Hop artist who is a singer, song writer, producer and performer has been finalized and he will be seen in the jungles very soon.

Ishq has written, produced and sung music for films like Dhoom 2, Fight Club and Pyaar Ke Side Effects. He rose to fame with 'Ishq De', the music of which is popular even today.

According to our source, "Ishq is finalized, and along with him will be seen Shweta Tiwari, Mona Vasu, Fiza Mohammed, Aman Verma, Chetan Hansraj, Akashdeep Saigal. Niger Khan the item girl is in the running and is expected to be finalized soon".

Well, guess we should be soon set for all the action that takes places in the jungles of Malaysia..

Reporter and Author: Kshama Rao

The Great Swap Between Kabir & Mini!
06 July 2009 | 10:52pm

One of the power couples of the industry Kabir Khan and Mini Mathur, do a great job swapping their kids between them!

Kabir Khan and Mini Mathur indeed make an ideal couple. The way they are juggling their careers as well as the responsibility of their two little children- Vivaan and Sairah is quite exemplifying.

Says our source, "The way they plan their schedules is apt. Kabir who is now basking in the glory of the success of his directorial venture New York, obviously feels this is a good time for Mini to catch up with her career."

Mini is more than happy to get a break from her motherly duties, and is all set to host the adventure based show on Sony, Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao. She says, "This jungle is not for kids; now that the film has released and received a fabulous response, Kabir has promised he will take care of the kids and will be shuttling over the weekends to catch up with me! I definitely will go crazy here for two months!"

Adds our source, "The time that Kabir spends with his kids will make up for what he missed during the shooting of New York. It will give him the well needed family time with Vivaan and Sairah. A pure family man like Kabir will totally love such an opportunity."

The source further tells, "This kind of understanding between Mini and Kabir is what makes them click as a couple."

Well, this just proves that if there are a lot of broken marriages in Bollywood, then this is the good side of this industry!

It's finally time to say 'Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao'...
09 July 2009 | 9:11pm

Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao! Starting, July 13…catch the toughest reality show ever …Monday to Thursday @ 10 p.m. & Fridays @ 9 pm Only on Sony Entertainment Television ..

You have seen celebrities sing, dance, crib, gossip and even perform some deadly stunts on your television screen. If you think you've seen it all, think again… because you ain't seen anything yet!!

Sony Entertainment Television brings a reality show like none other for the first time ever on Indian television. 'Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao, is an adaptation of ITV Global Entertainment's format show I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! The show brings together 10 celebrities to face the ultimate challenge – swapping a life of luxury to survive in the Malaysian rain forests, in a bid to be crowned King or Queen of the Jungle.

The show which goes on air from July 13, 2009 is being shot in Malaysia's' oldest and largest Taman Negara Tropical Rain forest. Mini Mathur and Yudi taken on as hosts and the ten celebrity contestants who have dared to accept this grand challenge of living through the tough jungle life are Aakashh Deep Saigal, Aman Yatan Verma, Anaida, Fiza, Chetan Hansraj, Marc Robinson, Shweta Tiwari, Mona Vasu, Palak (Gurmeet Kaur) and IshQ Bector.

It's a deep-dense forest and our daring contestants will have to fend for themselves… survive on meagre ration, perform dangerous tasks, live with the creepy crawlies, encounter the wild … all this under 24/7 scrutiny of the cameras. To make things a little more challenging, everyday, Monday to Thursday, one celebrity will have to take the dreaded Jungle Challenge, which involves overcoming a fear and collecting "Stars". The number of stars collected determines how much food the camp gets for the night. Apart from the Jungle Challenge, there is Celebrity Chest which they must find. The winner of this gets the Jannat. You will see these celebs live through hunger pangs, loneliness and boredom. Their struggle for survival, the grueling jungle and the fear of elimination will bring out never- seen- before personality traits in each one of the ten celebrity contestants.

On Monday, the phone lines open for viewers at home to call in or sms their votes in favor of their favorite celebrity, to keep them on the show. The phone lines will stay open until Thursday 12.00 pm. On Friday, the hosts will reveal the results of the voting, and the two celebrities with the least votes will have to go through the Maha Jungle Challenge to find a place in the camp.

According to Gurdip Bhangoo, Programming Head of Sony Entertainment Television, "As part of our re –launch, we made a commitment to our viewers to be uniquely different and introduce content that is refreshing and never seen before on television. Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao is a unique format where for the first time you see celebrities swap their luxurious life to survive in a jungle. The series has been well received by audiences internationally and we are sure that the innovative concept will entertain and keep the viewers on the edge of their seats wondering what next?"

ITV's I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! has been the number one rating format in the UK, USA, Germany and Hungary, and its Indian version Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao is co-produced by ITV/Silverback and Miditech.

Catch the survival of the fittest celebrity in Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao, starting July 13, Monday – Thursday @ 10 p.m. & Fridays @ 9 p.m. Only on Sony Entertainment Television