No road sense

Roadies, MTV's successful reality show, sends mixed signals.

I love Roadies. In fact, like most fans I’ll be glued to the TV set watching the grand finale of the show this evening at 7 pm on MTV. It’s a voyeuristic show and I admit, I’ve always enjoyed watching participants engage in slugfests, ripping each other apart (in one of the episodes some girls literally engaged in a fistfight and ripped each other’s clothes). I’ve also wondered how the parents of the participants must be watching their children undertake what the makers call “tasks” to ensure their survival on the show. For the uninitiated, a majority of these tasks have included (going by this year’s programme) picking up cow dung, serenading with crocodiles, drinking a concoction of milk and eggs while also spinning on rides in Australia’s amusement parks — never mind all the puking that followed — and much more. And true to “the spirit of Roadies”, as the makers often remark on the show, contestants agree to do daring stunts (a child unfortunately died imitating one of the acts recently, forgetting that optimum safety equipment is provided on the show) and also engage in bitter quarrels replete with abusive language to survive on the show. That’s why one presumes that Raghu Ram, the show’s executive producer, also doesn’t shy away from using expletives while talking to the contestants.

Simply put, MTV Roadies, with its gruelling schedule, looks at contestants measuring the length and breadth of the country — and exotic places abroad — on bikes, with minimal resources. They have to earn either “immunity” or “votes” to reach the top position. Why? Because there’s no other alternative. One can’t be sweet here or make best friends. One has to plot and plan tactics, do gross tasks and invariably fight it out.

Which is why I have been surprised sometimes at the reactions of Ram, who, when it suits him, tends to become possessive about the so-called values of such a show. Palak, one of the contestants, who has called herself “gaalion ka pahaad (a mountain of expletives)” and has been engaged in very bitter battles (she’s also beaten up contestants, by the way) was given a dressing down in last week’s episode. Why? Because, according to Ram, “You have made a mess of the show.” Er, how? “You’ve always been fighting here and creating muck on the show.” Er, so? “Palak, you’ve proven a point, a buffalo will raise its tail to create shit and nothing else.” Wow, well said, Mr Ram. Seems like you really had fun talking like this to her. But then, dear Mr Ram, I do remember seeing you on a news channel where, to prove your point you too, like Palak, didn’t talk. You just shouted. Palak refused to shut up when you asked her to and it reminded me of the news anchor who begged you to let the other guests speak. In fact, even during the auditions of this year’s show, you did two things, either grabbed the guys by their collars, or shouted at girls, or/and hurled abuses at just about anyone who came on the show. You wanted to test them. Somewhere, even you know that’s the way to survive on a show like Roadies, no?

You also wanted to hurl a shoe at Nauman Sait (one of the top three contestants of this year) last week because he broke a girl contestant’s trust. Really, make up your mind. You, through MTV, are presenting a show, which revels in voyeurism. It’s a show where survival is of utmost importance, a show where VJ Rannvijay proclaims, “every Roadie is alone”. So, where does trust figure? Breaking another person’s heart shouldn’t matter on Roadies.

And strange that you are worried about expletives used on a show because while selecting candidates you’ve always vomited a barrage of abuse. Always. Oh, on last year’s show, Ram, you planned a task on the show. That of a girl participant coming forward for a serious, tight slap by another male contestant.

So, ethics anyone?