YOU are lounging on your couch, sipping hot koffee, watching a glamorous reality show. Karan Johar and a bunch of celebrities—seven women, three from Delhi and four from Mumbai—are discussing, well, everything that the rich generally talk about, at a high-end Mumbai restaurant. There is fun and banter and a lot of leg pulling. The mood (predictably) changes, and there is (scripted) tension in the air. And then something happens that makes you keep your koffee aside. The conversation suddenly feels real, genuine. It feels very you.
“I’m on medication every morning and I have an SOS medication every evening. The idea of going to a party, a social event or a crowd scares the daylights out of me. I throw up in the mornings when I think about it. My knees shake. And yet, I have to go outside, face cameras and smile,” says Johar.
It was rather startling to see one of the most popular directors of Bollywood—known for his penchant for talking directly into the camera—share pearls of wisdom on how to cope with mental health issues in the third season of Fabulous Lives of (Vs) Bollywood Wives. This tailored vulnerability seems to be the running theme in the entire season—which has Bollywood wives of Mumbai and fabulous lives from Delhi reveal aspects of their personal lives.
Reality television has had a solid run in the entertainment scene for nearly two decades now. Ranging from music, dance and talent shows, to cooking, quizzes and adventure sports—the audience has now seen it all. Regional industries, too, have replicated these shows across the country and tasted popularity. Though shows like Bournvita Quiz Contest or Antakshari had started off quite early, reality TV really caught on only with the launch of Indian Idol in 2004 and Bigg Boss in 2006. Both the shows were based on popular reality TV formats from the UK and the US. Fabulous Lives, too, takes inspiration from the popular US-based reality show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
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