He came with a cool, nonchalant air. Rann Vijay Singh Singha seemed just perfect to be an anchor for MTV Roadies, the first Indian adventure reality show which is now into its eighth season. One among the daring television anchors in the country, Rann was in Thiruvananthapuram recently at ‘Dhwani’, the intercollegiate arts fest hosted by the College of Engineering.
“I come from a family which has never thought of a profession other than serving the Indian Army. Since childhood I was taught not to be scared of anything in life. It is this spirit that gets me going while indulging in risky adventures on the show,” he says.
“I am well aware that I handle a show which demands a lot of skill and spirit. You will have to do seemingly impossible tasks on the show. It is all about taking chances.”
A proud owner of five hi-speed bikes, it was his love for bikes that changed his destiny. “I had passed all the tests for joining the Army when Roadies happened. I thought I would get to flaunt my riding skills in the show, gave up my military ambition and took to Roadies. Eventually I emerged the winner of the first season of the show.”
To be anchoring a show where he had once been a contestant is a different experience. And he relishes it.
“As a contestant you are free from responsibilities. But being an anchor of an adventure reality show demands responsibility and patience. You got to take care of the contestants and should make sure that nothing goes wrong. That is why I do tasks myself so that I can make them believe that they too can do it.”
Rann believes that it is important to be adventurous in life. “Life is never easy all the time. You have to be tough to get the best out of you. Roadies is not about walking over the fire or jumping from a cliff. It is a test of physical prowess and, more importantly, it will tell you how strong you are deep inside.”
It is precisely the reason why he gets on to the nerves of the contestants.
“I feign to be tough because I want them to stand the worst. I make sure that there is a rift among them. This will boost their competence in a positive way.”
His dogged look and sturdy built bespoke a brave heart. But Rann admits with the same cold air that he feels scared at times. “There are times when I get the chill. But I know that the best way to deal with fear is to overcome it. If you are scared of water you will have to plunge deep into it. Only then will you understand how thrilling it is to dally in water.”
There has been quite a fan following in the country for the spunky anchor. But Rann is not too enthused about it. “It is great to hear that people like me for what I do. It does not come easy. I hardly get two hours of sleep a day. A slight flaw in the show could leave me in ruins. You can see the leftovers of my adventures on my body. Yet I love this job since this is my bread and this is what gave me an identity. After all, it feels really good to inspire people and make them stronger.”