We don't fear negative backlash

Manav Gohil and Shweta Kawaatra

Do you think what you did is justified and fair?
What we did was nothing but canvassing for support, the same as the other participants have done either through direct appeal to viewers on the show or through other means. We feel we have been wrongly accused, and a baseless judgment has been passed on us. Canvassing for votes is an integral part of any reality-based television show. Nach Baliye has a viewership of 1.5 crore every week and the total votes run into lakhs.

This is just a drop in the ocean, especially with a cap of 20 votes per phone number. What we have done is completely within the rules of the show, and we have complete support from the channel and the other contestants as well. We have not done anything that is illegal, immoral or outside the rules of the game.

Considering that last year's contestants too bought SIM cards for voting, why do you think it has become such a big issue with you?
Given the fact that we are well known faces and that Nach Baliye has such a huge fan following, speculations by the media and the audience have gone up further. The whole situation is being blown out of proportion.

There have been similar situations in the past where participants of reality-based shows have done various things to garner more votes. In the first season of Nach Baliye, all the couples' families and friends voted for them. But that did not hamper the end result and the most deserving couple won.

Do you fear any negative backlash in the coming rounds?
We are really looking forward to the remaining rounds and are practicing very hard. This will be visible in our performance. We are still in competition as a result of our efforts and nobody can question or deny that. People who genuinely watch the show will vote and the performances will speak for themselves.

The judges will give us points based on our performance and the audience will also vote if they feel we have done a good job. There is a positive vibe and a lot of enthusiasm on the sets during the performances, so there is no worry of any negative backlash.

Aren't other couples resorting to similar tactics too?
To the best of our information and knowledge, we are sure that other couples are doing their own bit to garner support for themselves, and there's nothing wrong in it.

How is Shweta dealing with the situation?
Shweta has been through a lot lately, including rib injuries, back pain and her fear of dancing. She has put everything behind her and is going on with the show.

After displaying such a spirit of sportsmanship, a city tabloid says 'Sack the cheats'. She is definitely hurt and fails to understand such criticism.

How have your parents reacted?
Till date, they have been happy with our achievements and have been proud of us. For our parents, what matters is our performance. They know
we have not done anything wrong and support us completely. It was a shock for them as they are not used to dealing with the price one has to pay for being a celebrity.

Any message for the fans who have voted for you?
I am extremely thankful and grateful for the support that we have received
from our fans, not only in terms of votes but also for their mails, letters, prayers and wishes. I'm glad that they have been with us through thick and thin. We would like to thank them for supporting and encouraging us to perform better in each episode.