Flirting with danger

What’s it about? Originality is definitely out of fashion on Indian television. Yet another international format has made it here. This time it is the desi version of I’m a Celebrity,Get Me Out of Here. The rules are simple but complicated when it comes to following them. Ten celebrities are thrown into a jungle for a period of eight weeks and are asked to survive with bare-minimum requirements.

Each day they are just given a handful of rice and beans which they have to cook on firewood. Every day,they have to perform various difficult tasks to earn their dinner. The tasks range from sleeping in a coffin for 10 minutes with snakes of various kinds thrown in,or drinking concoctions made of grasshoppers and fish guts.

Who’s in it? The celebrities are a varied lot (including actors,deejays,singers and models) —Aman Verma,Akashh Deep Saigal,Chetan Hansraj,Ishq Bector,Anaida,Palak Kaur Johal of Roadies fame,Fiza (estranged wife of politician Chand Mohammed),Shweta Tiwari,Mona Wasu and Marc Robinson.

Giving them company and spinning stories are the hosts of the show Mini Mathur and Yudi.

What’s hot? Ten days into the show and there has been plenty of drama already—the high point being the contestants trying to escape from the jungle having had enough of the hard life. While Aman accused the producers of having lied to him about the format,Anaida and Chetan were heard complaining about the quantity and quality of food provided. Whether this was a measure to boost TRPs or was an element of ‘reality television’,only the channel can tell.

Nevertheless,the show has its high moments. Constant fights between Akashh and Fiza keep the show going. Shweta is the drama queen,while Aman lends her a shoulder to cry on.

As for Mona Wasu and Marc Robinson,they are forever ready to perform tasks and earn stars for their team. But the USP of the show has to be truly creepy tasks.

What’s not? Roadies gal Palak’s nasal twang is the most annoying aspect. When she and Fiza constantly gossip, the show looks like a Bigg Boss in the jungle.

The content is gripping during the first half of the show,when the tasks happen. The second half indulges in bickering and backbiting and it seems like yet another TRP boosting exercise.

Should you be watching it? For those with a keen eye for adventure,this one will be a good watch. And for the rest who enjoy gossip and fights,it’s definitely your show.