Raging BULLS

Middle of the night. Freezing sub zero temperature. And an ice cold shower. Reality’s just been redefined,and this,people,is just the beginning. Call it a quest to look and feel different,but UTV Bindass’s Hero Honda Hunk Dadagiri just got wilder,crazier and meaner. Back with a Season 2,the show and its hosts dropped by in town and gave us a taste of what it’s like to be on a hardcore bootcamp. “And this time,we’ve moved out of the studio sets,and made Manali as out adventure base,” tells the show’s anchor,Akash as he proceeds to introduce the beast – Vishal,and the Goddess – Sonali. While Dada Vishal will test the 12 contestants for physical strength and endurance in his Macho Zone,Sonali will grill them mentally on the Playground. “Please don’t go by her good looks,” laughs UTV’s marketing head,Kanika Saxena. “From forcing the contestants to pick hardboiled eggs from heaps of cow dung with their mouths to digging through rice glue and chicken fodder,they have to perform to appease their Goddess!” shoots this former model and Miss India runner-up 2006,who makes her debut on telly with Dadagiri. So,has she tried any of the stunts? “Of course,well,most of them. But we’re not under pressure as the contestants are,” she’s honest about it. On the other hand,it’s the ‘beast’ and ‘outback jack’ spirit in Vishal that’s made him the much feared one. “I try the dares before contestants too,and trust me,when you’re stuck at 13,000 feet,it’s scary,” says the Mumbaikar who’ll be soon seen next to Shahid Kapur in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Kaminay. “That was one big adventure,” he’s playing the character of Steve,and the film actually starts with him and Shahid on a wild goose chase. “Ten takes,and we were burnt,” he huffs. While this is a first,he’s pretty sorted when he says that it’s only content and character that he’s looking for. “I don’t want to be the chocolate hero. He has nothing to do!” says Vishal,hush about other UTV Spot Boy projects he’s bagged. “Superstitious,you see,” he winks.

Back to the bootcamp,and Vishal Dada unleashes a whip of words. “We’ve toned down the abuses,it’s more of provocation,sarcasm and rude remarks.” Does reverse psychology work? “Of course,that’s how people get to move and perform their best,” he quotes examples of winners on the show. “It’s a risky fare,and we make sure we have a medical team and counsellor on the sets. Plus,the contestants are mentally tested during auditions,” chip in Akash and Kanika.

Roadies,Mujhe Iss Jungle Se Bachao,Khatron ke Khiladi,Sarkar ki Duniya – how does Dadagiri stand out? “Well,for starters,we don’t pass the dare. The contestant has to do it. And second,we don’t wear a cap and goggles,and go back to a five star hotel.” Ouch,that hurts!

Watch Dadagiri,Season II,on UTV Bindass,July 11.