This year, Bigg Boss has become a real fight club, with most contestants perpetually at each other’s throats. In this scenario, we spoke to Bigg Boss 9 inmate Suyyash Rai on what he feels about these fights, since he was inside at one time, so better understands the pulls and pressures.
What do you feel about this year’s Bigg Boss?
I am following this season as it has several of my friends (Siddharth Shukla, Paras Chhabra and Bhattacharjee) as inmates. But I can’t watch all episodes due to time issues. Having said that, I did follow the latest Weekeend Ka Vaar, wanting to see how Salman Khan reacts to all the fighting. I also checked out last night’s Farah Khan trial. Sadly, I find this season a little dirty, for unlike all other. avtars, where despite scraps, the contestants never fell to the level of refusing to cook for others. We too fought, but yes, at the end of the day, lived together as family. I go by the old maxim that the family that eats together, lives together.
Your take on Shukla and Rashami Desai’s situation?
I hope that they can forget the past and move on. Farah was spot on when she said that they must have been very close friends at one time, for things to reach such an ugly pass.
Their constant friction (Shukla’s manly aggression and a constantly bickering Rashami) is leaving a bad taste outside. Having said that, I am liking Shukla’s game, for despite his aggression, he is still coming across as a sensible and strong dude.
How tough is it to keep yourself together?
Most contestants go in with the illusion that they will not let their emotions run amok. But they forget that out of 16 waking hours, you might hold your anger for 15. But a time will come when you will let go and Bigg Boss will only show that.
You can’t hold that against them, for this is the format where your every move is captured. Bigg Boss is not called the biggest really show for laughs.
What about the other inmates?
At first, I was liking Paras’ comic antics, but soon he went off a different tangent. At times, I find him stupid as well. The problem is that when you’re inside, you don’t know how you are being perceived outside, so you go with your gut,. which might or might not work.
As for Devoleena, I feel sad that no one is trying to be the one who beads the house together. It has broken down into 2 groups of 6 and 4.
How do you see the power game changing with the upcoming wild card entries?
This above groupism will definitely help the wild card folks. These guys (Arhaan Khan, Tehseen Poonawala and Hindustani Bhau), having seen the game, will know what to expect. Every year the game changes, with infusion of fresh blood.
Your take on Hindustani Bhau?
Bigg Boss is a big stage for someone like Bhau, who might boast of 1 million Instagram followers, but that is nothing in a nation of 130 crores. Bigg Boss gives him a huge platform, so he will play the game. He too might get very aggressive as he has nothing to lose.
Is it rightly said that celeb contestants should keep their image in mind?
Yes, ideally they should, given that most existing ones are hugely popular TV names. Having said that, to each his own. The flip side is that no matter how much you try, you will end up annoying someone. So I don’t care a fig and prefer to do my own thing.
Differences between your time and now?
Back then, the fun and games lasted for 2 weeks, and beyond that all bets were off, for you have to live and eat with the same people who you might not like. Plus there is no contact with the outside world. You don’t even have a watch to tell the time of the day.
Is the format rigged?
No. But the tasks are designed in such a way that you will snap. Plus at the end of the day, what we see outside is just 45 minutes of content. Bigg Boss story-writers create characters out of every inmate.
What did you take home from your stint?
The best or worst part is that you are famous only till your season is on air. Next year, they will have a new lot.
So it all boils down to how much you can leverage your in-time. Prince Narula and Norah Fatehi used it to their advantage. Coming to me, I deliberately stayed away from TV, wanting to do music. But yes, it was the best time as it brought me and Kishwer closer.