Abhay Deol aims to make social impact with TV debut

Abhay Deol is the latest star to join a long list of actors, who have made their television debut. Next month, he will step up as the host of a reality show called, Connected Hum Tum, a show that will highlight the journey of six women.

Abhay Deol is the latest star to join a long list of Bollywood actors, who have made their television debut. Next month, he will step up as the host of the TV show called, Connected Hum Tum, a reality show that will highlight the journey of six women. The audience, with Abhay as the host and commentator, will witness the changes in their lives over the various themed episodes.

“These six women have recorded their own lives on camera over six months. They were chosen because they were uninhibited about showcasing their lives,” says Abhay, adding that initially he was not planning on taking up the job. “My manager insisted I take a look because the concept looked interesting. This show isn’t an assembly line sort of creation. It’s out of the box and will definitely have an impact on society,” he says.

Abhay-Deol-in-a-still-from-Chakravyuh

Abhay feels it also has the potential to spread the word about women equality. “It’ll show the point of view of the modern Indian woman. With violence against them so rampant, I feel it will be able to appeal to people's humanistic side,” says the actor.

Many Bollywood stars are usually seen on television as guest judges on singing and dancing shows. Ask Abhay if he would ever take up such a role, and he says, “I am not an expert on those subjects, but as I have been working in films, I feel I can judge a show based on filmmaking. But judging isn’t really appealing.”

Quite often, money is a major reason film stars take up reality shows. Did the remuneration have a part to play in his association with this show? “For this one, no,” he says, adding, “But can money be a factor to influence my decision? Yes, of course. We all need to earn and films don’t necessarily pay that much, especially if you aren’t working with branded names and formula subjects.”

This daily reality series was originally developed in Israel, as the format called Connected. It has previously proved to be a success in countries like Denmark, Holland, France and the USA among others.