This is an archive article published on June 20, 2024
Bigg Boss OTT 3 House Tour: Designer Omung Kumar calls it show’s 17th contestant, says ‘it will eat them up’
Bigg Boss OTT 3 House Tour: In an exclusive interview, set designer Omung Kumar shares how the Bigg Boss OTT 3 house is designed to impact the contestants on a mental level, revealing its mytho-gothic details.
Bigg Boss OTT Season 3 House First Look: Every year the Bigg Boss house gets its shares of ‘oohs and aahs’ from audience. As Bigg Boss OTT 3 premieres on Friday, prepare for a journey into the fantasy world. Set designer Omung Kumar and his wife Vanita call Bigg Boss OTT 3 house a crazy world of fantasy, ‘It is Harry Potter meets Jumanji meets us’. The house has dragons, unicorns, locks, keys and warriors this time, which come infused with AI (Artificial Intelligence).
In an exclusive interview with Indianexpress.com while Omung shares what all people will see in the Bigg Boss house, adding that the luxurious property will also play with the contestants mentally. Omung calls the house the 17th contestant of Bigg Boss OTT 3, but added he gets upset when he sees the property being damaged by the housemates every year.
Here’s a first glimpse of the Bigg Boss OTT 3 house:
First glimpse of Bigg Boss OTT 3 house (Photo: Jio Cinema team)
Giving a few details about the house, Omung shares that it’s like a fantasy book coming to life. He shares, “This year it is a fantasy book come alive. It’s like Jumanji meets Harry Potter meets us. It is a house that’s full of illusions, dragons, books, etc. The garden area has a huge key that comes out from a keyhole. There are thousands of keys here in different sizes and shapes, and on the periphery we have locks. With AI being a part of experience, we have huge keyholes from where you can look into the outside world, but not inside it. Then there are huge 30-foot statutes with swords which work as entry into the main house.”
“There is a huge chair made up of a girl’s dress and another made of a guy’s tuxedo. The living room has a book, which is exploding inside, it is 25 feet and once opened, it reads ‘Once Upon a Time’.” Further, he describes that there is a dragon in the dining area. As for the bedroom, the makers have gone back to the old style of having one huge bedroom, the kitchen is made of barrels, while the confession room is designed like an alley. Another highlight is that this season contestants will sit on a staircase-shaped sofa, which is placed inside the confession room.
A house designed with so much passion and hard work is very dear to them, so when the Bigg Boss house is not maintained by the contestants, they get upset. Expressing his displeasure, Omung says, “It affects me and Vanita a lot, we are huge fans of the show, so every night the creatives will get a call from us, where we ask why they can’t keep it clean, they are uncouth and breaking my set, then they get a warning from Bigg Boss. Last year, the before-and-after pictures shown by Bigg Boss were taken by me and sent. I had said that please tell them to clean the house or else I would come inside. Later, they had three hours to clean the house or else everything would be taken away. When anything is broken we are extremely angry, they have a penalty imposed for breaking the set, but contestants never listen.”
When Omung was asked if they face any challenge while creating the house that’s both fancy and comfortable, the set designer reveals that it is quite the opposite. “It should not be homely, it is supposed to eat them up. The first two weeks they will love it, every wall speaks to you, then the house will haunt you, it will creep you out. So the house also plays with you, it’s the 17th contestant. No matter how comfortable we make it, it will eat you up after some time. It does affect you mentally after one point.”
Lastly, when asked, how he and Vanita manage to outdo themselves creatively every year and bring something different, Omung says, “Me and Vanita (who is the production designer) challenge everyone to come up with ideas, every year it gets bigger. We belong to that fantasy world, so it keeps coming to us. My house also has everything that the Bigg Boss house has. We ideate with the creative team, brainstorm, and take it forward.”
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Bigg Boss OTT 3 is hosted by Anil Kapoor this year, the show will stream on Jio Cinema Premium from 21st June at 9 pm.
Nawaz Javed Kochra is a seasoned entertainment journalist at The Indian Express Online, bringing nearly a decade of expertise to the forefront of cultural reporting. With a focus on the television and Over-The-Top (OTT) landscapes, he has established himself as a prominent voice in the industry, known for his high-profile celebrity interviews and insightful coverage of the Indian entertainment sector.
Experience & Career
Nawaz holds a Master of Arts in Communication and Journalism from Mumbai University, providing him with a rigorous academic and ethical foundation. In his 11-year career, he has navigated through several of India's leading media houses, building a portfolio that spans digital, print, and broadcast media:
The Indian Express: Currently leads coverage of TV and OTT content, producing both written analysis and popular video interview segments.
Former Roles: He began his career at the iconic Stardust Magazine and later held key positions at Zoom TV, Zee Multimedia, MissMalini, Bollywood Bubble, and Raindrop Media.
Expertise & Focus Areas
Nawaz’s beat is characterized by a blend of exclusive access and trend analysis. His core areas of expertise include:
Reality Television: Specialized coverage of major franchises like Bigg Boss, providing behind-the-scenes insights and winner profiles.
OTT Ecosystem: Tracking the shift from traditional cable to digital streaming platforms, with a focus on web series and digital premieres.
Celebrity Profiles & Interviews: Nawaz is celebrated for his ability to foster candid conversations with industry stalwarts, from music composers like Amaal Mallik to other TV legends.
Investigative Entertainment News: Reporting on sensitive industry developments, including legal disputes and personal stories of resilience within the acting community.
Authoritativeness & Trust
With a reputation built on years of networking and credible reporting, Nawaz Kochra is a "known face" in the Mumbai media circuit. His work at The Indian Express adheres to the publication's "Journalism of Courage" standard, ensuring that even entertainment reporting is approached with accuracy, sensitivity, and transparency. His educational background and extensive tenure across diverse media platforms provide him with the authoritative perspective required to analyze the rapid evolution of Indian show business. ... Read More