MUMBAI: The 17th season of Roadies auditions has gone online. It has attracted many youngsters to showcase their talents from the comfort of their home. Mahaguru Rannvijay Singha spoke to ETimes TV about conducting virtual auditions, the Roadies rage, and more. Read on for excerpts.

Reality show auditions go virtual

Ever since Roadies started, we have tried many things for the first time and they have always worked in our favour. Other channels have taken inspiration from our ideas. Be it Roadies, Splitsvilla or Stuntmania, our experiments have always worked. Imagine the number of people who wanted to be on Roadies, visit cities for auditions and now they can audition from the comfort of their home. It’s a great opportunity for them and a new experience for us. With the time, we are happy to adapt to new ideas.

Idea of virtual auditions not new for this reality show

We already have an online platform called Roadies Battleground. It has been there for many seasons. I would give tasks for each level to people and I have never met them. For 10 years we have been doing this. So this idea didn’t come to us as a shock. We believe through online we can touch base with more people than on ground and that’s why we have this platform. The online auditions announcement didn’t come as shocking.

Parameters of judging a contestant online

Online auditions give a comfort zone to the contestant and it is also a good opportunity to interact. I get to meet to shortlisted contestants after other judges Nikhil, Neha, Prince and Raftaar audition them. Because of so many interactions with same person on so many levels, we also get to see the layers of their persona. It might be a short interaction for a day but throughout the week, we have interacted with them for 4-5 times. I also give them tasks. We try to build the pressure of them but they are in the comfort of their home and they too try to give their best.

On Roadies craze amongst youth

Roadies is a way of life. If you are extraordinary, people use ‘Roadie’ as an expression – ‘Arre…tut oh Roadie hai’. Roadies makes you realise who you are because it puts you in situations, which you won’t otherwise face in your daily lives. On Roadies, you face situations like voteout, where you might just have to betray your own friend. Whether you are scared, you lose, you jump, who lose, who win… it teaches you a lot many life lessons. Roadies has become like a badge that one carries after you go from Roadies to your next phase in life.

On spending lockdown with family

I am blessed that I am locked down at my own house with my family and I have nothing to complain about. As much as it is a tough time for many, we should be grateful. Now that I am home, I am getting to do a lot many things which earlier I didn’t get time. Getting to spend time with my baby is definitely the silver lining but other than that there are many things which were pending and those are being done.

Credits: TOI