Ontario man is India's newest reality TV star
Updated Thu. Jul. 30 2009 10:32 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Elesh Parujanwala grew up in Ontario and speaks little Hindi, but he has become one of India's biggest television stars, thanks to his appearance on a reality dating show.
Parujanwala is a contestant on Rakhi Ka Swayamvar, a program on which Bollywood bombshell Rakhi Sawant is to choose a husband.
The 30-year-old from Markham, Ont., just north of Toronto, is one of three finalists, whittled down from more than 12,000 contenders.
Sawant will select her mate Sunday night in front of a live television audience.
Parujanwala, known to viewers as "The Canadian," is considered the favourite.
He had moved to Mumbai to establish a film school, but noticed the advertisements for India's version of "The Bachelorette."
The hopeful contestants wooed the glamorous star with flowers -- Parujanwala gave her a Canada T-shirt -- while the lucky finalists got to introduce her to their families.
Parujanwala introduced Sawant to his parents via video conference. They have since flown to Mumbai for the finale.
While it was expected that Sawant and her beloved would marry on live television, she told The Times of India Thursday that the finale will mark the start of an engagement.
"So far, I've dated the contestants on camera," she said. "Now, I'll date the man I select off camera. I need to know the person well and I can't gamble with my life for the sake of entertainment."
"If after knowing the person well, I feel that he's my Prince Charming, I'll tie the knot."
Parujanwala has declared he will move to Mumbai permanently, just in case.
With a report from CTV's South Asia Bureau Chief Janis Mackey Frayer
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