| One of the biggest reality show franchises, Big Brother, is now coming to Indian shores. For those of you who are unaware about the show's popularity abroad, one look on the Internet and you'll find numerous websites devoted to fans of 32 different versions of the series, broadcasted in countries across the world.
Names kept secret
Changing Big Brother to Bigg Boss, Sony has got the show to India through the production house Endemol. The planning for this reality show has been on for months, with the task of selecting 13 participants being the most tedious.
The challenge was to find individuals ready to give up their freedom to be locked up in a house under constant surveillance.
The channel is tight-lipped about those participating on the show, and even the contestants have signed a confidentiality agreement refraining them from talking about their participation.
In the dark
However, a source working on the show spilled the beans revealing the names of some of the confirmed candidates. He said, "Rakhi Sawant, Bhojpuri actor Ravi Kissen, Karan Wahi and Vinod Kambli are some of the confirmed names.
We had a major problem finding celebrities who have the time and willingness to sit in a house for three months. None of the contestants are aware about who else is going to be in the house with them. They've all been kept in the dark about the other competitors."
Rajesh Kamath, MD, Endemol, who is producing the show, gave details about Bigg Boss' format. He said, "We will have 13 contestants who will be put in a house for three months. They will be given a daily and a weekly task, on completion of which they earn money. Apart from basic groceries and money, they won't be given anything else. No mobile phones, television sets or newspapers will be allowed in the house."
Unlike the international version, the Indian format will be edited and censored. "Keeping the viewers' sensibilities in mind, there won't be any nudity on the show. The episode isn't live but deferred by a day. We will edit whatever footage we get and then broadcast it."
Stating that they would indeed take a voyeuristic approach like the international format, he added, "We will show two people getting into a bedroom, but what happens after that will be left to the viewer's imagination."
Making choices
Sandiip Sikcand, chief creative director SET, said, "It's a ground-breaking format. Indian television hasn't seen anything of this sort before. We have shortlisted 40 people, and will soon make the final choices."
On the issue of editing and doing a delayed live, he said, "The editing will be very mild. The viewers will get to watch most of what happens as it unfolds in the house."
He also added that the show is likely to go on air in the first week of November, and will run for a duration of three weeks. The location of the set where the house will be constructed is being kept a secret from the contestants as well. |
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