MUMBAI: Who doesn't love reality shows? But are Indian reality shows as real as we believe them to be? A media portal asked this to several people from the entertainment industry.

TV producer and Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar's cousin, Manish Goswami has produced more than 35 shows over the last 27 years like 'Daraar', 'Adhikar', 'Aashirwad', and 'Kartavya'. He says, "In India, reality shows are scripted. They are scripted to an extent that they become viewer-friendly. The target audience has been identified and they are given what they're waiting for. The makers want to get all the expressions in a 45-60 minute capsule and the viewer-excitement quotient is kept in mind. But I don't think that this happens abroad as they are very strict there."

Foreign reality TV is more transparent and accountable. No twist and turn is made for melodrama.

Goswami adds, "Public memory is short, here. After their victories or promising performances, the participants are forgotten. Koi ek-aadh ubhar ke aata hai."

But this was not the case earlier. Sunidhi Chauhan, Arijit Singh, and Shreya Ghoshal are all products of reality shows.

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Bigg Boss had been offered to the non-controversial J D Majethia, Chairman of the TV and web wing, Indian Film and TV Producer, on more than one occasion. Majethia says, "Arre Juhi Parmar (Season 5) and Urvashi Dholakia (Season 6) getting shows after 'Bigg Boss' because they won it? Certainly not. They are getting work because they have a good track record as far as their body of work goes."

According to Majethia, "The 2-year contracts with the channel can make lives. Look at Rahul Vaidya (who is now also in 'Bigg Boss 14'). Uski toh life ban gayi after he appeared in 'Indian Idol, Season 1'. Till today, he earns well from his shows and some of the shows he does are on big platforms with Sonu Nigam!"

Aashka Goradia, however, feels that reality shows work worldwide and this is simply because "people enjoy seeing other people's misfortune, which is a psychological problem."

Producer of shows like 'Ace of Space' and 'Code Red' Vikas Gupta, who was also seen in 'Bigg Boss 13', disagrees, "If the contestants are careful, I don't see how a show can tarnish their image? The belief that reality shows tarnish your image is false,' he says.

Well, what is your take?

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Credits: TOI