Rohit Shetty is back with yet another season of Khatron Ke Khiladi and he tells you that there is more adventure, horror and drama waiting to unfold. The weekend reality show kick starts on February 7 on Colors but Shetty already declares this season to be the best ever. Deebashree Mohanty caught up with the director at Sunny Super Sound Studios in Juhu, Mumbai. A report
Horror, mind boggling action stunts, 14 dashing celebrities and a dare-devil host. It can’t get better or bigger than this. Khatron Ke Khiladi 6 is back and how. This time round the show promises double the action and double the fun. “The fun is only for the audience, mind you! The contestants are only in for double the shock,” Shetty jokes before the launch kickstarts in Juhu Mumbai.
Ask him what in the show appeals to him the most and Shetty finds himself in a spot for a brief moment. “I was going to say the thrill and stunts but I realised that there is much more to it. The entire concept in which humour too has a big role to play is what works for the show. I love everything about it,” he says. The contestants, mostly established actors on TV, agree with him wholeheartedly. They say it is thebaap of all shows because it has a little bit of everything — drama, horror, humour and camaraderie.
“What drives the huge TRPs is because the show resonates with the audience. They want to watch something different and we give them something different. The stunts are not repeated, the contestants are known faces and achievers, the concept is youth oriented and the locale is breathtaking. All of this connects with the viewers,” Shetty explains. He has been associated with the show for the last two seasons and he says he has witnessed the TRPs spiralling because the concept is being slowly accepted by the audience.
What is a big challenge when he sets out to host this special showIJ “Sometimes the stunts are not up to international standards and that is worrying. For me, the thrill has to be spine-chilling and the stunts have to be spot on. There is no point in feeding the audience with something half-baked,” the method director says. He is back with his latest movie but Shetty is not willing to reveal anything more at this juncture. “It will be another action dhamaka and I can’t wait to get started on it,” he tells you.
The show lives up to the international benchmark and the credit for that, Shetty says goes only to the contestants who work hard to get there. “The international team were very impressed with these people. Their stamina and style was appreciated. Our stunts measure up with their level and now our contestants are just as good as them,” Shetty says.
Asha Negi who was a part of Pavitra Rishta is the underdog to watch out for while Iqbal (seen in Tumhari Pakhi) is going to be difficult to beat. Shetty also points at Hussain Kuwajerwala and Ashish Choudhury who are at their comic best.