BANGALORE: The motorcycle diaries of Rannvijay and Raghu Ram read like engaging novels. It has a little bit of everything — tears, pain, happiness, conflicts and love.
Eight seasons might have gone by even swifter than a motorcycle in full throttle. But the road is still waiting for more tyre-burning, and the daredevils are keen on inviting another year of on-road, on-screen adrenalin rush. Ask hosts Rannvijay and Raghu Ram about the road they have taken, and they say, “It's been good. But the pressure is mounting.”
With the auditions for the eighth season of MTV Roadies being held in Bangalore today, the duo is fingers-crossed to find ‘sensible and classy’ people in a city they think has the potential to churn out youngsters with ‘class’.
“I’ve noticed that the people in Bangalore are not ‘bulls on heat’. They are more evolved,” says Raghu Ram, whose idea to pull off an adventure show like Roadies gave Rannvijay the chance to take part in it, and eventually emerge the winner and then a VJ.
“I would have been the sixth generation army man if I hadn’t taken part in the competition,” says Rannvijay, who is proud of his military lineage. “I would have sort of been like the Abhishek Bachchan of the film industry,” he adds with a wink.
He says that when he was a contestant during the first season, he cared little about what he was wearing or what his hair looked like. “I was just being myself and the judges liked it. But as a judge now, I have to be responsible,” he says.
Raghu Ram aka the ‘serious’ twin reflects the same emotion. As a show host and producer, he has been a responsible man, but his obvious absence in season seven upset his fans. And so, by popular demand, he is back on the show, along with his twin, Rajiv. “It’s good to be back,” he says. And he is back in his usual forthright self. Ask him about generation gap and the clash of sensibilities when it comes to reality shows, pat comes the answer. “The older generation is cruel and stupid. They are resistant to change. I’m not saying that whatever we do on the show is perfect. But old people are screwing up the country. Look at the politicians. They should all retire,” he says.
About the latest season of Roadies, Raghu discloses that it will be all about the contestants. “Yes. That would be the biggest difference. It won’t be the journey or the task that will define the show, but the contestants,” he says.
“I can’t say more. You’ll have to watch the show,” he adds. Though he admits that the first season is usually the most-watched season of a reality show, he points out that for the Roadies, the viewership has only increased over the years and so he needn't worry about ‘spicing up’ the show.
“Logically, ‘spicing up’ the show could increase the rating. I could ask a Pamela Anderson to be the guest. But if I do that, it just won’t be my style,” he explains.
The Roadies auditions will be held today at St John’s Auditorium, Koramangala from 9 am.
elizabeth@expressbuzz.com