MTV Roadies 9 to be shot partly in US
Hindustan Times | , New Delhi
Navdeep Kaur Marwah Oct 08, 2011 02:10 AM IST
After covering countries like Brazil, Africa, Australia, Thailand and Malaysia, the show will be going to the United States in its ninth season this year, reports Navdeep Kaur Marwah.
The landscape of television keeps on changing, but the tried and tested formula of reality shows seems to have struck a chord with viewers over the years. One such show, Roadies, has been high on the popularity charts since its inception. Now, after covering countries like Brazil, Africa, Australia, Thailand and Malaysia, the show will be going to the United States in its ninth season this year.
With auditions for the show currently underway, the 35-year-old makers of Roadies, twin brothers Raghu Ram and Rajiv Lakshman, say that there is a lot to expect this year. Talking about the reason behind choosing the US, Raghu says, "Why not? This season is aimed at youngsters who get an adrenaline rush out of a high risk, high gain or high loss life. Our theme of ‘Everything or Nothing’ is what America stands for. It has the NBA, Hollywood, Las Vegas and much more, which gives us incredible opportunities for great tasks. Also, we did a poll on the Roadies Facebook page to ask where should Roadies head this year. The US was the most voted destination. We aim to kick the excitement up a few notches."
Adds Rajiv, "The best part about the show is the participants and the fact that we can change the game and bring on twists whenever we want. Our driving force is to better ourselves every year."With auditions for the show currently underway, the 35-year-old makers of Roadies, twin brothers Raghu Ram and Rajiv Lakshman, say that there is a lot to expect this year. Talking about the reason behind choosing the US, Raghu says, "Why not? This season is aimed at youngsters who get an adrenaline rush out of a high risk, high gain or high loss life. Our theme of ‘Everything or Nothing’ is what America stands for. It has the NBA, Hollywood, Las Vegas and much more, which gives us incredible opportunities for great tasks. Also, we did a poll on the Roadies Facebook page to ask where should Roadies head this year. The US was the most voted destination. We aim to kick the excitement up a few notches."
As for the auditions and the experience so far, Raghu says, "We want to see ‘real’ people. With each season, we want to get more raw. Every human reacts to a particular situation in a certain way and those reactions determines a lot about that person."
But do the brothers feel that the TRPs of their show might be affected by similar programmes on other channels? "Not many would know that Roadies is the only show that does not follow a western format. Moreover, it has been registered in 19 countries so far. We don’t have competition from others shows. That’s because we are like the world famous sprinter Usain Bolt. There could be a million people running on the same track, but not all are champions. And for us, the audience liking our show is much more important than ratings," says Raghu.
Both Raghu and Rajiv were seen on the big screen in the film, Tees Maar Khan, in 2010. So, any more movies for them? "I have my hands tied up with Roadies and Rajiv is also quite busy with his production house. Bollywood plans are on hold right now. Instead, I want to write a book about the show," says Raghu.
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