It’s that time of the year again, guys! After running for (what seems like) a million successful years, MTV is back with its much awaited, Roadies!
MTV Hero Roadies X2 goes on air tonight at 7pm and the excitement is building. Why, you ask? Because Roadies has undergone a major makeover! This season, we’ll see cool boxer Vijender Singh and charmer Karan Kundra joining Roadies veteran Rannvijay Singh. But that’s not all!
This year Roadies is embracing #GirlPower and we’re loving it. For the first time in the history of the show, the makers have roped in a female panelist and the original Dhoom girl Esha Deol who has been given a chunk of responsibility in the show.
The four judges will be mentoring respective teams that will fight it out to become the ultimate roadie. Interestingly, if two judges want the same person on their team, the power to choose goes to the contestant in question. Cool, right? You can catch all of this excitement every Saturday at 7pm only on MTV!
I caught up with the four fabulous judges and this is what they told me!
Team MissMalini (Team MM): So what are you guys doing on Roadies?
Vijender Singh (VS): I’m taking pangas! Because it’s fun and Roadies is about panga and about who you are. I’m here to showcase exactly who I am!
Karan Kundra (KK): Exactly what I’m wondering! We have our in-house Roadie Rannvijay with over a decade of experience, Olympic champ Vijender and supergirl Esha… I have no idea what I am doing here! (laughs) So I’m only focusing on giving my best, making sure the right message is given out to the youth and I have a good time along the way. (To Esha) Esha, now tell them how Karan Kundra inspires you?
Esha Deol (ED): Karan inspires me with his hairstyle…
KK: Ya. I’m 6′ without my hair and 6’1” with it!
Rannvijay Singha (RS): Like you said, I am a Roadie veteran. I started when I was 20, I am 31 now. But the 12th season is very different. We’ve never had four gangs fighting it out to win like this. So though it’s the 12th year for me, it’s a brand new feeling. Earlier we selected people for the Roadies journey, now we have to select them for our gang. And they have to select us back! And it’s more nerve wrecking than you’d think!
Team MM: Rannvijay, you’re obviously the senior here. So were their times when you had to give out advice or bully them a little?
RS: There were times when we saw Karan or Vijju or Esha react to situations. And they’ve told me that earlier they always wondered why Raghu or Rajiv or I reacted in a certain way, but now they’re in the same situation so they understand. It’s really amusing for me to see that. And they all bring something so different to the table and let me tell you a secret, none of them is even minutely bully-able.
KK: Rannvijay bullies me all the time, okay? No, I’m kidding! I think being with Rannvijay for this long has added to my life in the way that he really inspires you. As actors, somewhere down the line we get a little tied down with the aesthetics only… but Rannvijay imbibes healthy living and thinking so well that it helps you also.
Team MM: Okay. Vijender, you’ve been on the show before as a celebrity guest and we’ve seen you in tasks where you beat up the contestants… I don’t think you can beat them up now, can you?
VS: Ya man. It’s mentioned in the contract (laughs). But ya, it’s good to be on the show as a judge this time. So I won’t be boxing their faces but I’m pretty sure I’d be teaching the contestants some boxing though.
Team MM: How has the whole experience been so far?
VS: Too much fun! I traveled so much… I don’t even like travelling but it was amazing! We have covered a lot already and there’s still more to go. Toh picture abhi baaki hai mere dost…
ES: I just have one word for the entire audition process: – MAD!
Team MM: Alright. So we have a girl on the panel this year! What are the guys’ thoughts on that?
*Collective Applause*
RS: I’m all about girl power! If I had my way, I would be in Esha Deol’s gang.
KK: Esha Deol is an absolute tomboy! She is really cool. I think to have a female perspective on the team is an added bonus always. And like, contestants come in, so there are certain issues that she relates to much better than we do because she is a woman. And she is very clear about things she believes in and things that don’t fly with her.
VS: It’s going to be awesome ya. Teen ladke, ek ladki… bohot naainsaafi hai! It’s been so wonderful having her around. I think you should ask her how she felt around us.
Team MM: So Esha, did the boys censor themselves around you?
ED: These boys? You mad? The do what they want!
Team MM: How was (your husband) Bharat’s reaction to you joining Roadies?
ED: I think after Bollywood, I got married, settled down and nothing exciting enough for me to leave my husband for so many days, was coming my way. But with Roadies and its concept, I couldn’t resist. And he was excited too. We’ve watched the show before and I’ve been a fan.
Team MM: So is your team going to have only girls?
ED: No. Nothing like that. Because I am the first female judge on the show is why the girl power angle is what people connect with most. But I have boys in my team too. And see, at the end of the day, there is going to be only one winner. The show doesn’t differentiate between sexes and that is the whole point of it all anyway.
Team MM: Awesome. So if you guys had to give us tips for all the aspiring Roadies everywhere, what would it be?
VS: Physical fitness, mental fitness and don’t be fake!
ED: Be yourself, be true to yourself and most importantly, come on the show ONLY if you want to be a true roadie… not just because you want footage and want to join the movies.
KK: Don’t waste our time! We are looking for cool people with cool opinions who are comfortable with being themselves. Don’t put on a fancy skirt or an accent thinking we’d be impressed. We get 45 minutes with you and we will take out your real personality. Just don’t waste our time.
RS: Being yourself is definitely the take home message here. Apart from that, I think dedication to whatever you choose to do and passion is important. And while you do all of that, remember to have fun.
There you have it – straight from the horse’s (or rather horses’) mouths!
Well, I can tell you one thing for sure – I know I’m going to be glued to my television tonight at 7pm for the #MTVRoadies premiere episode.
What about you?