Reality Shows success is based on the contestant, the show content and the fans who follow the developments. The show naturally progresses to the finale, where the winner is identified. The finale ends up giving mixed signals and experiences to the fans, and the BIGGBOSS16 finale on Sunday was no different.
MC STAN lifted the trophy, and fans’ favourite BiggBoss fanatic Shiv Thakre could only fake his smile as the runner-up. Priyanka, the vibrant contestant and a strong contender, the third finalist, gracefully accepted the people’s verdict. However, the fans were left wondering what MC STAN had done in the show to win the trophy.
In many ways, MC Stan’s popularity as a rapper and not his stay at the BiggBoss16 defined the win. And it is not good for the show, suggesting that the chances for the common man or woman to win in BiggBoss are over.
REINVENTING BIGGBOSS16
BiggBoss reinvented itself in season 16. It was a different show in many ways. The creative and content team did wonderfully to bring freshness to the show. There were many successful experiments. The biggest of them was BiggBoss intervention and decision to play the game. However, the fans feel season 16 was not mentally or physically challenging for the contestants. The contestant instead had an effortless stay compared to the earlier season.
The disease of aborting a task or non-participation that infected Khatron Ke Khiladi also affected BiggBoss16. Many tasks were aborted, and the BiggBoss remained a spectator, lightly penalising the participants. The contestants blatantly questioned BiggBoss actions calling it scripted and biased, used predominately English, and the BiggBoss did nothing much. Even many visitors used English more than Hindi.
There was a feeling that the BiggBoss was towards the mandali. Sajid could get away with Murder. Abdul could not do anything wrong. Shiv and Stan were the favourites. Whereas Priyanka, Archana and Shalin were targeted time and again.
The show must analyse how the contestant acted and reacted and how BiggBoss reacted. It must decide how to overcome and bring a fresh focus in season 17th.
EXPERIMENT – THE KEY.
The sideshow Bigg Buzz with Krushna was an experiment that needs further refinement.
Fans were surprised with so many weeks of non-eviction that affected the content of Bigg Buzz. They have their theories on non-eviction. Was it because the participants were promised and given a minimum guarantee of weeks of stay? Or whenever Sajid Khan was nominated, the week went into no eviction mode. Or was the channel unable to get more celebrities interested in the show as wild card entrants forcing the show to have no eviction weeks?
Shakhar Suman and his weekly acts in BiggBoss16 were liked. The short segment he hosted was quick- pacey and full of humour and sarcasm. It was engaging and had the sharpness the fans appreciated.
The weekend ka vaar on Friday and Saturday with Salman was usually great fun. However, the fans complained that the star host’s screen time was less. Many unwarranted unengaging, irritatingly silly tasks and interactions were used as a filler on weekends. The tasks, questions, and reactions tended to become too repetitive and lacked originality.
The channel tried to have some novelty in the tasks for the captain challenge, nomination process and winning the weekly ration. However, these tasks were not as challenging on mental and physical parameters as in the earlier seasons and thus diluted the impact. The audience loves it when the contestants have it hard- but this season was a walk in the garden.
BIGGBOSS GOES SOFT.
One of the critical parts of BiggBoss that the viewers liked, admired, and enjoyed was the powerful mystic no, nonsense BiggBoss. There was an aura of control and discipline.
In BiggBoss16, Biggboss was too soft. BiggBoss interaction and engagement with the contestants lacked control and confidence. It was a more professional, friendly counsellor who contestants like Shalin Bhanot – Tina Dutta and Archana took for granted. The banter though a bit humorous and at times dipped in sarcasm, was ineffective. In effect, the contestants used surprisingly light banter with Biggboss, thus slowly eroding the overall control.
Evictions based on direct voting among the participants or through votes within a small subset of the audience or media representatives were not appreciated. The fans want complete control of eviction by public voting.
The ration and nomination tasks were mildly interesting and not so engaging. Most of the time BiggBoss lacked control and could not set the right narrative- which was not what the fans wanted to see.
The captain election tasks and even the Ticket to Finale were tough and hard-fought. In season 16, they were too easy and did not test the contestants to the level the fans wanted to see.
THE PERFECT HOST DOST
A few episodes hosted by Karan Johar and Farah Khan showed why Salman Khan is the best host for the show. In fact, one cannot think of an alternate personality who could do justice to the task. The difference was apparent. Salman’s control is perfect, and his interaction, playful banter or reprimanding directives and suggestions were perfectly pitched. It helps that contestants look up to host Salman Khan as an industry professional who commands respect. Salman deserves every bit of adulation, admiration, and fee he charges. One hopes to see him continuing to host the future seasons.
AMPLIFYING SUCCESS.
BiggBoss16 went out of its way to suggest and reiterate that the trophy is one thing, and the exposure the contestants get from the show is the actual reward. The performance does not go unnoticed and is a powerful platform to give an amplifying flip to the contestant’s future engagements. Nimrit engagement with Ekta Kapoor film. Ekta offering Shalin a show. Gautam and Ankit have already signed new shows. Priyanka is the Glam face. Abdu launched a new song and is on his way to Big Brother. Sajid is starting his movie finally. Not everything can be linked or reflected as an outcome of BiggBoss- but let’s say it was auspicious and shubh for the contestants.
NEGATIVITY AND THE REALITY
BiggBoss is often criticised for promoting negative behaviour and drama among the contestants. They fail to see the show encouraging positivity and teamwork. The viewers see BiggBoss being biased and always nudging the contestants towards heated arguments and doubts leading to fights. And one can say that seems partially true.
I have always held that there is much more to see and observe in BiggBoss. There is a deep human interaction as the contestants are confined to a defined area with no sense of time and any news from outside. They are competitive and fight for privileges and survival in the show. The way the groups form, the friendships grow, emotions and feelings get expressed or subdued, the encouragement and reprimands, and the negotiations between contestants for votes and interdependence are worth watching, understanding, and discussing.
It depends on the filter and lens you use to watch the show. Keep seeing the negativity; you can paint the whole show with it. And if you want to read it for human interaction and behaviour, every moment reflects it.
NETNET.
BiggBoss has been one of India’s most successful reality shows and continues to do well. However, it is trapped within some ill-defined self-imposed format constraints which need to be questioned. The tasks and interaction need creative teams to deliver freshness to the show. Hope to see BiggBoss17 with a fresh set of tasks and innovative interaction and a set of contestants that are not dominated by TV or film but come from diverse backgrounds.
BLOG/012/2023. To connect, send an email, join on Twitter S_kotnala or subscribe to the weekly update.
