Big Boss (Season 5)

There was a time and a world which didn’t survive on reality TV. I wonder how that went!

I was never into ‘reality shows’. Although a long time fan of chat/interview shows, I started getting struck by the reality power when I started watching ‘MTV roadies’. Almost against my will, I was then watching ‘Emotional Athyachar’. I had almost lost my faith in humanity (and its relationships) when ‘big boss’ (season 5) happened to me.

Honestly I never knew much about this one till season 5. Although I had a vague idea about Shilpa Shetty being discriminated and hence voted to winning in ‘Big brother’, abroad. My initial reactions were naiveté. Who are these so called (self-proclaimed) ‘celebs’? And what are they trying to do? I would but get my answers too soon. Redemption!

First things first, who doesn’t want to watch a Salman on TV? The guy has some track record but hey all is forgiven for he is ever so lovely. And then there is his partner in crime, Mr. Sanjay Dutt. Who wouldn’t blush at the idea of him flirting with Laxmi (the eunuch celeb)?

Usually I hold on to a book and try to get some (early to bed) sleep by 11. At times I don’t even have the patience to read; just the bed. Now I stay awake at least till 11:30. Big boss plays 10:30 to 11:30. Yes! P.M. I was under the impression that the so called ‘celebs’ are the really famous types and the viewers hang on to their Idiot boxes just to watch them. This was again proven wrong. Among the so called ‘celebs’ from season 5, I hardly knew 2-3 of them. Until I googled them! They needn’t be famous, they will be made famous! So it’s just not the celebrity (call it demi-star) status then. There is something about these familiar faces being stashed together in a house. Throw in the household works and the budget for the week and then the celebrity (profanities ridden) face-offs and there’s your reality show. I am addicted to it by now. I crave for it. The cat fights, the tear works, the bitching and back biting, I love them all. Oh! The sweet world of ‘celeb’ politics! Should I dare miss one of its episodes (it plays 7 days a week so excuse the patron who misses on ONE of them), I take refuge in youtube. I was so ill-informed to even think that the TV channel ‘colors’ rose to crescendo just so. Duh! It’s shows like big boss (season) and viewers like me who fuel their TRPs.

God bless the show producers and the great minds behind this modern work of art for their twists too. Who enters as a guest? Swami agnivesh! And what happens to the ladies? ‘Swamiji, OMG! Just can’t believe you are 73’. Ace VJ flirts with Swamiji/civil-society-member? Slurp! There is then Siddharth who has taken to obnoxious flirting with Shonali, the only beauty (queen) in the house. There’s the videshi gal Vida, VJ Pooja Bedi. There is also actor Mehek who is always ‘exploited’. There are the dudes too in the house- Akashdeep (SKY) and goody-goody Amar. And THEN there is Pooja Mishra, the ‘Joker’ in the house. I swear on god, she is THE show. The day she is sent off, I’m sure I’ll cry myself to sleep and never switch on my TV again. Well, except to watch other shows.

Just when I was hardly done conjuring when reality became TV, I was taken in for a ride. I am loving every bit of every moment of it. Who knows? I might as well fall in love with other soaps and serials (let’s not exclude the in-famous Bhartiya saas-bahu ones here). Only time will tell!