Reality television

Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded.

A television reality show features talent culled from the ranks of 'ordinary' people, not professionally trained actors. Reality show producers typically shoot hundreds of hours of footage per episode and use creative editing to create a narrative thread. Subjects of a reality show may be given some rudimentary directions offscreen, but the point is to allow the performers to act and react as normally as possible. A reality show is not to be confused with a documentary, in which the subjects are asked to ignore the cameras and behave naturally. Many reality show producers encourage participants to play to the cameras as characters or use private taped conversations, called confessionals, as a form of narration.

Types of Reality Shows

Celeb-Reality: Reality shows with celebrities are a rage with the audience.

Examples: Dancing with the Stars, The Simple Life, and Big Brother

Prank-Reality: Reality shows that involve pranks played on ordinary people and capturing their candid reaction.

Examples:Candid Camera, Punk'd (Ashten Kuthcher)

Game Shows: Reality shows that are based on games.

Examples: Who wants to be a Millionaire?" Hollywood Blocks, Weakest Link

 

Talent Hunts: Reality shows that are looking for talented people be it singers, dancers or even actors.

Example: American Idol, America's Got Talent, Star Search

 

Job-hunts: Shows that are synonymous with live on air interviews are listed under this category.

Example: The Apprentice, On the Lot (Directors), Project Runway (For fashion Designers), The Runway (Tommy Hilfiger), Hell's Kitchen (Chefs)

 

Makeovers: Reality shows with make over stories. Be it a personal makeover or a home make over, these shows are very popular with the audience.

Example: Monster House, What-not-to-wear, While You Were Out

 

Dating-Shows: Reality shows that gave a platform for dating men and women on air.

Example: For Love or For Money, Perfect Match New York

 

Social Experiments: A relatively new genre of reality television that involves interaction of distinct social groups.

Example: The Beauty and the Geek, Wife Swap, My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé.

 

Adventure/Fear based shows: A genre of TV shows that challenges the participants with difficult and weird tasks.

Example: Fear Factor, Who Dares Wins

 

Some reality shows provide artists a good platform to get noticed, some shows help people win money and fame but almost all of them keep the audience hooked on to the action and craving for more!

 

Reality Shows on Indian Television

Studying the international television scenario, the Indian counterpart has promptly caught-up with the latest trends. Reality Television has arrived in India and is here to stay !

 Reality shows in India date back to the Channel V's talent hunt for making of a musical band. The band of girls called Viva that emerged from this show enjoyed short-lived popularity but marked the beginning of reality shows in India. Superstar Amitabh Bachchan's Kaun Banega Crorepati, which was the Indian version of Who wants to be a Millionaire, was a major hit with the audience in India. What followed next was a flood of reality shows, many of them being adaptations of the pre-existing western versions.

Reality shows in India are a welcome break for many of the audience who were tired of cribbing about the Ekta Kapoor's saas-bahu series that were (and some of them still are) pre-dominant on Indian television. Indian Reality TV is however in its nascent stage and mostly includes desi-versions of the reality shows abroad. However these shows are enjoying tremendous popularity and will definitely give way to more innovative concepts on air.

Most Popular Reality Shows on Indian Television

MTV Roadies is a youth-based popular reality television show on MTV India.

The selected Roadies are provided with Hero Honda Karizma bikes to travel on a pre-decided route. Each episode features a vote-out at the end in which the Roadies eliminate one of their fellow Roadies by an anonymous vote, thereby decreasing the number of Roadies carrying on with the journey. However there are some episodes in which Roadies can get immunity and hence can not be voted out. Each episode consists of number of tasks or challenges which the Roadies have to perform. These can be either "Money tasks" or "Immunity tasks". By successfully completing the "Money tasks", the Roadies add cash to their account while in "Immunity tasks", the team or roadie which wins gets Immunity. Such a team or roadie is safe from vote-out i.e its members cannot be voted-out in that particular episode. The tasks are either team-based or individual-based. The Roadie who survives till the end is declared the winner and walks away with the total cash accumulated by performing the money tasks.

MTV Bakra

No one can ever forget Cyrus Broacha's grinning face and the confusion and bewilderment created amongst his victims. A wicked show with witty pranks followed by loads of laughter.

Kaun Banega Crorepati

Amitabh Bachchan's stint on television that was perhaps the first reality show on Indian television to garner humongous audience response. The second season of the series was hosted by Shahrukh Khan but did not seem to fare just as well.

Indian Idol

This show has been one of the most popular reality shows on Indian television and perhaps due to the voting factor. With boys next-door turning into ultimate singing sensations, this show already has completed three seasons.

Sa Re Ga Ma

What started as a humble talent show hosted by Sonu Nigam soon metamorphosed into an ultra-glam, uber-dramatic reality show with the various celebrity judges like Himesh Reshamiya, Alka Yagnik, Abhijeet and Ismail Darbar constantly at loggerheads with each other.

Big Boss

The Indian version of UK's Big Brother was the most sensational and controversial reality show in India. Although long forgotten Actor Rahul Roy emerged as the winner, it was people like Anupama Verma, Aryan Vaid (due to their on-air love-affair) and Rakhi Sawant (due to her in-your-face attitude) who got instant recognition from this show.

 The Great Indian Laughter Challenge

This hunt for India's biggest comedian created a laughter riot on air with almost all its contestants enjoying tremendous popularity. Star Judges Shekhar Suman and Navjyot Singh Siddhu enjoyed great following too.

Nach Baliye

An original concept that involved celebrity couples trained by their choreographers battling against each other in an entertaining dance competition. The show has celebrity judges like Saroj Khan, Malaika Arora Khan, Farhan Akhtar, Kunal Kohli, David Dhawan, Isha Koppikar and Vaibhavi Merchant. The first season was extremely popular and so was the second one, however the third season seems to be losing its charm.

 

Jhalak Dikhlaja

This was the Indian version of the hit show Dancing With the Stars, which was also very popular. The first season had celebs like Mona Singh, Mahesh Manjrekar and Shweta Salve as participants and Farah Khan, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Shilpa Shetty on the judges panel. The show is currently in its second season with Shiamak Davar, Urmila Matondkar and Jeetendra on the judging panel whereas the participants include celebs like actress Sonali Kulkarni, anchor Mini Mathur and singer Mika.

Reality shows seem to be a huge trend on television, but anything that is popular has to bear the brunt of constant criticism and analysis. Controversies about these reality shows being 'planned and scripted' or the voting lines being a hoax continue to rise every now and then. Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction, they say! Well as for television, don't be surprised or shocked as yet...something far more real and far more strange might be on its way...till then...Enjoy Reality TV!