So far, average to bad start to the season. I really dislike that the wake-up song is discontinued for a Lockupp-inspired alarm and siren. The over-the-top sets with nice-looking beds just don't go with the serious alarm. And less said about the Bigg Boss anthem. Subah subah barring a few, most were not even trying. Second, Bigg Boss is in a tearing hurry to instigate contestants so that kuch drama ho but it feels forced. The problem is not with the format. Good contestants for reality TV don't need instructions. It's the choice of contestants. Get image-conscious Colors favorites, expect image-conscious behavior. I've been watching BB since Salman started hosting 12 years ago and it's never a good thing when a show becomes so self-referential almost a parody. It's amusing seeing not only contestants accusing each other of doing a "Sidnaz", Bigg Boss too likes to invoke previous winners of better-rated seasons. Unwittingly, this just gives the impression that this current batch is incompetent and unoriginal. Own goal BB
Coming to the contestants, too many TV actresses (again!) for my liking. They just come with their own bizarre sense of entitlement and passive aggression. Case in point: Priyanka. Behan ko itna meetha banna hai, sabki help karna hai par khud pe criticism aaye to argument devolves to childishness. Especially how she talked to MC Stan. Tina can be spicy only cos she is kind of insufferable and opinionated hence likely to give content but I'll take that over Priyanka. Miss India girl's angle will be to use her background. Especially when she fights with a TV actress, that card is going to come out. Sumbul is alright. She speaks but is not very consistent so far. Gori is too cute but unfortunately not having the wake-up song robs us of her dance! The dentist is no alpha female. She is entitled and has mistaken her smugness for attitude. I don't expect her to last long. Nimrit, so far, is confused and not very assertive but not to worry, BB ka haath uske sar pe hai. Archana is good at creating drama and so far she has been OK, despite her voice but unless BB shows her beyond her fights, people will not connect with her. Among men, Gautam is my least favorite so far. Nothing likable about him has come to my attention. Shaleen is also kinda unlikeable and man seriously believed Aamir Khan was on the phone aur teen baar dubki bhi maar li. He gets an L for that. Reason for nominating Sajid was so stupid - makes it obvious he is going to play the nepo card against him. Bhai, compared to some other contestants tu unse aaage hai to kya sacrifice karde apne aap ko taaki woh successful ho saken. Abdu is entertaining and funny and likable. But I cringe when these females hug him, pinch his cheeks without his permission, and treat him like he is a kid. He doesn't like it, it's obvious. And worse is Tina asking him to be his gf and the way she went on and on about it. Like seriously! It's so patronizing. He's an adult, not a child. Also did NOT like how some contestants want to literally lift him up! If only he is allowed to talk seriously without being interrupted and made fun of. I am interested in knowing about his life. Shiv can be interesting, too early to tell. He is not afraid of putting his point across. MC Stan is quite talented and he should use words as weapons in the house. I can totally see him becoming BB meme material with catchphrases becoming popular but so far he has not utilized it except for rap. Does not mingle much and that's not going to work much longer if he wants to stay. Sajid is a total misfit. He is leaving soon - I just don't see him getting down and dirty BB style plus he came for an image clean up so beyond some kiddish jokes mans not going to do much. If I missed anyone it's cos they left no impact.
What I like about this season is that there is an upstairs for lounging and mini-group bedrooms. This allows people to discuss, plot, and plan in closed spaces but also forces people into conflicts. The ration distribution today is already forcing people to bond with contestants of their respective rooms rather than staying in their comfort zones.
I have zero expectations from this season so I'm going in without investing my emotions and yes it's too early for such investment anyway but after the last few seasons where even the promo for the next day was cut in a way to make one person a winner, I am going in without expectations. We will see if this changes.
