More real than real life

More real than real life

Reality shows and talent hunts may be relatively new to Indian television. But already, singing and dancing sensations are being elbowed out by more specialised shows focusing on fashion and business, reports HEMANGINI GUPTA

'We can't have judges who are brutal just because it works abroad,' says a producer. Here, singer Adnan Sami presides over a talent hunt. — Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P. ON AMERICAN Idol, the talent hunt to pick pop talent in the U.S., a panel of ruthless judges demolishes aspiring singers. Contestants are dismissed as "ugly", told bluntly they can't keep tunes, and sniggered off stage. On Samsung Super Singer, a benevolent Adnan Sami simpers, shakes his head, and is even moved to tears by a rendition of "Tu hi re". The nature of the show, of course, forces him to eliminate particularly bad contestants, but he spews little venom. "I'm sorry," precedes his dismissals. Then, mildly: "You will have to go." No bite Judges of these Indian reality shows might not have the same bite as those abroad, but Nivedith Alva, a producer at Miditech, which makes Indian Idol and Roadies, asserts that, "the judges on every Idol come with their own style and are chosen so that they can add that extra something to the show. They create their own way of judging. When the show first went on air, people couldn't believe the way the judges were behaving on the show. But with time, they realised the judges were just being truthful, and also, besides the singing part, the audience also comes back week after week to see what the judges are going to say." India has had reality shows for years now, with Miditech's Hospital and RAAAH (an adventure reality show) in the early 2000s, but such shows assertively captured centre stage only with Channel [V]'s Pop Stars, a talent hunt that straddled reality ground, drawing serpentine queues at venues across the country in televised episodes that jumpstarted ratings for this compelling genre. Indian channels are now flooded with reality shows and talent hunts. Indian Idol, MTV Roadies, Dance Dance, Samsung Super Singer and now India even has its first ever fashion reality show. Real fashion Called Lakme Fashion House, this one too is based on a format already tested overseas. Auditions judged by designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla require contestants to prove their designing skills based on assigned tasks. The finalists will be marooned on an island off Mumbai where they will be filmed 24/7 by 25 remote cameras (aka Temptation Island). But no sex on the beach here; instead, contestants will spend their time completing design tasks. The creativity, competitiveness, emotions and ambitions as they vie for the final prize (interning with international design house Versace) is expected to capture roving eyeballs. Lakme Fashion House exemplifies what could be a new category within the genre of talent-reality: specialisation. On its heels comes Business Baazigar on Zee which will film contestants as they prepare a viable business model. Expected to be judged by a panel of high-profile business magnates, the show will reward the most workable plan with the venture capital to launch. Already, the show has had motley registrations including a housewife from Punjab and a software whiz from Bangalore; it "tests the skill of entrepreneurship and invites all kinds of innovativeness," says N.B. Rajkumar Patra, from 25 FPS, the production house making the show. "From a Rs. 1,000 paanwalla set-up to a Rs. 5,000 crore thermal plant... we do not restrict anyone from thinking big, but instead look at how capable they are of implementing it." Specialised shows Talent-reality shows began by focussing on the basics: singing, dancing, and testing relationships. As the genre matures, they are beginning to require more involvement from the audience and the participants. "You need to have a specialised skill," says Samir Gupta, producer of Lakme Fashion House. "This is not a cattle call. We are also looking for a sense of individualism. Participants will have to live together for six weeks, performing a task every week." As part of Fact Based Communication which specialises in this genre, Samir agrees that reality has exploded in India, although he adds: "It will never replace fiction, and we can't have judges who are brutal just because it works abroad. But letting loose kids in a house for 24 hours will certainly push certain limits; it'll be edgy and raw. Reality is still an evolving process." Nivedith Alva agrees. "Once this season is over, the audience will be prepared for what's to come next season," he says. "They would have seen it or heard of it and that experience itself will draw them back. Any international format show that comes to India is Indianised to suit the Indian audience and thus takes on a flavour of its own... So you can't really typecast."

So if the current crop of reality shows shock you, rest assured these are just the initial barriers being crumbled — the real stuff is still on its way

https://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2005/02/22/stories/200 5022200790100.htm