War for love on the beach

MTV Splitsvilla moves to the shores of Phuket in season 3.

MTV Splitsvilla has abandoned Goa. In its third season, the show has moved on to greener pastures... or rather to the sandy locales of Phuket, Thailand, to be precise. The 13 episodes of the show are currently being shot in a sprawling 12,000 square foot property, which belongs to a local American. Renamed Splitsvilla, the hilltop villa faces the Andaman Sea.

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One of the entrances to the house leads from the sea through a long stairway, carved into the rock. The surrounding area is densely forested and can be an ideal backdrop for a Bollywoood song. There are separate rooms with an Oriental feel for the king and queen. The contestants can dine either in a Western-styled room or a Japanese chamber complete with a Zataku table. The drawing room can accommodate the entire team. The basement comprises an open air swimming pool overlooking the massive expanse.

MTV Splitsvilla 3 features five couples and 10 singles fighting for the Rs 10 lakh prize money. Last season, the show was dogged by controversies after some participants accused the directors and the production unit of seeking sexual favours to decide the winners. Vehemently denying the charges, Ashish Patil, Vice President - MTV India said, “The format of the show doesn’t allow influences on the outcome. But I can’t bulletproof myself from a contestant going psycho.”