| MUMBAI:
Reality shows may not have gone down too well with Indian television viewers,
but there is no stopping the channels from adapting international reality formats.
The latest in this attempt is Sahara One's reality show 'Biggest Loser Jeetega',
anchored by Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty with an in-house fitness training team
headed by former cricket physiotherapist Andrew Leipus.
 The
Sahara One reality show is an adaptation of 'The Biggest Loser',
a format owned by Reveille LLC who have also produced shows
like 'Ugly Betty' and 'The Office'. The show which has been
telecast in 22 countries is one of NBC's top grossers.
In India, the show will be produced for Sahara One by Star Entertainments'
director Rahul Agarwal. The company spearheaded by T.P Agarwal who is also a President
of IMPPA(Indian Motion Pictures Association) is into film production. The show
marks its foray into television software production with a bent towards reality
television shows.
 Says
Agarwal, "While the show will stay very close to its
international format we have localized it for the Indian audience.
For example - the exercise routine followed by the contestants
will include Yoga, the diet will focus on Indian food and
its preparation according to our style and the Indian sensibilities
will be kept in mind even while discussing the emotions of
these contestants."
Unable to make it for the media briefing held at Amby Valley, Sahara Head
- Entertainment Business and Aamby Valley City Seemanto Roy said via recorded
video that he was impressed with the idea when approached by Rahul Agarwal and
Suniel Shetty. "I was never motivated enough to shed the extra kilos but
after watching the show I started working out the very next day. Since then I
have lost 27 kilos…." The show format is fairly simple: There
are 16 contestants pitted against each other in two teams of 8 each. Within 4
months the contestant has to shed weight through diet and exercise and for every
kilo lost per contestant, he or she wins his team one lakh rupees.
 Every
week, the losing team will eliminate one contestant who they
feel is pulling the team down. Adding drama to this weight
loss programme is 16 contestants living within a 'bubble'
situated in Sahara City, Amby Valley at Lonavla - this is
the accommodation and fitness area for the contestants in
the coming months.
Rising
tempers, frustration at the slow melting kilos, team spirit and various temptations
that will test the contestants forcing them off the treadmill- the show promises
to entertain the viewers as well as get the whole country onto a health revolution
of sorts.
Will this show go down well with audiences considering the only
celebrity on the show is the anchor? Sahara programming head Kalyan Sundaram and
director Star Entertainments Rahul Agarwal insist, "The show is about common
people and the attempt is also the get the message across to the common man. Diet
and exercise is what we are concentrating on. The camera of course captures all
the entertainment and emotions along this journey." The show will launch
in May and although the channel has not zeroed in on a time and day, it is most
likely to be a weekend show. "We have a good thing going with the prime time
slot on weekdays and would not like to disturb that", said Sundaram. The
channel is also ideating on another reality show which is likely to look at jobs
and career. Speaking about the marketing initiative for the show Sahara
One marketing head Rajeev Chakrabarti said, "This is a big ticket show for
Sahara One and we will go all out to market the show. The emphasis will be on
ambient advertising. We plan to tie up with 500 local gyms across the country
to promote the show. We will also advertise aggressively at retail outlets and
apparel stores. So watch out for advertising around the trial rooms of various
apparel stores. The regular 360 degree approach - print, television, radio and
online media will also form part of the marketing mix. While the contestants can't
be showcased since they are put up in Aamby Valley, we will have loads of contests
and prizes in various cities to promote the show".
With its fiction shows looking up, Sahara One is ready to
kick start the second phase of its programming with reality
shows. In fact recent ratings data show Sahara One neck and
neck with Sony Entertainment Television riding on the back
of its prime time show Woh Rehne Wali Mehlon Ki.
SET which is getting its act togteher with its fiction shows
in prime time and in the 10 to 11 pm band is also finalizing
a reality show along similar lines called 'Extreme Makeover'.
After dance and music talent hunts and Bigg Boss, the trend
on reality television is reinventing oneself physically. As
for the TRPs game we will just have to 'weight and watch'.
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