Rannvijay Sinha Reflects on Roadies' Controversy: From Taboo Topics to 'Disturbed Parents,' Reveals Behind-the-Scenes Reality | Exclusive

Mumbai - MTV's face of Roadies for a decade, actor and TV host Rannvijay Sinha talks about controversial Roadies legacy in an exclusive interview. Remembered for talking about taboo topics, early years of the show were subjected to much criticism, with parents even "disturbed" over their children trying for the show.

Rannvijay, who had emerged as the winner of season one and subsequently hosted 12 seasons of Roadies, shared with us how the show was a trailblazer for issues like gender equality, racism, and societal taboos that were rarely spoken about during those times. "These days, we talk openly about progressive topics, but back then, it was considered unacceptable for youth to come forward and share their struggles on a platform like Roadies," he said.

Concerned Parents and Forbidden Topics

Sinha said that parents find many aspects of auditions not comfortable enough. "It was shocking for families when kids would talk about molestation, alcoholism within the family, or even neglect. These topics weren't openly discussed in India at that time," he added.

In fact, despite the high doses of criticism, Rannvijay defended the show's approach and said that it created a safe space for participants to share experiences. "Roadies was ahead of its time, respecting women and addressing issues that are now part of mainstream conversations. We were doing that years ago."

On Scripted Reality Shows

Talking about the long-pending debate on reality shows being scripted, Rannvijay dismissed it with a wink. "We don't have writers or actors good enough to script something like this. Most contestants are first-timers. Asking them to act perfectly is just unrealistic," he said.

He also spoke about the process of auditioning, highlighting the relevance of psychological pressure to reveal the actual identity of participants. "Pressure is a strategy to make the participants get back to their real selves. In an hour, you see who they really are.

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