Reality shows connect strongly with people: Karan Kundrra

Kitani Mohabbat Hai actor Karan Kundrra, who features in the reality show Love School with girlfriend Anusha Dandekar, discusses the appeal of reality shows and the new spelling of his surname.

Karan Kundrra has changed his last name to include an additional ‘R’. Speaking about the change, he says, “I am a Libran, and like things to be in balance and symmetry. Now that I have added an ‘R’ to my last name, my name is balanced as per numerology. It is not about superstition; it is more of a choice. I was born on October 11, and so, all my cars and bikes’ registration numbers add up to 11, which is how I like it.”

Karan Kundrra says he feels that he is not equipped to give advice to youngsters off the cuff.

Karan says working on a reality TV show, Love School, with his girlfriend, VJ-host Anusha Dandekar, has brought them closer. They act as a combination of hosts and counsellors to young couples looking for advice on the show. He says, “This show has been a boon for us, as we have been able to spend more time together. We are different when it comes to our opinions, but I have realised that our values are the same, even if the way we express ourselves might be different.”

Karan has been a host and judge on multiple reality TV shows, but now he finds himself doling out advice to youngsters on the reality TV show as well. He finds that these shows can be a lot of work, as he often ends up counselling the youth about love and life. He says, “My inbox is flooded with emails from people asking me for advice. People ask me questions on my social media accounts too. I feel that I’m not equipped to give advice off the cuff. One has to think deeply and then share guidance, if any. I used to get similar reactions when I was working on my other show, Gumraah. It was about juvenile crime, and I often ended up telling youngsters what to do, how to react and how not to react. It’s tricky.”

Karan says dealing with youngsters can be tough, but he feels “blessed and gratified” with their response, and “cherishes” his connection with them. He says, “It can get overwhelming sometimes to see so many people connect with what you do and say, and how they look up to you. So you feel responsible for what you tell them. One doesn’t connect with people after working in a film or a TV show. When you do a reality show, you have a stronger connection with people. Especially with shows focused on the youth.”