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Taking the Telugu TV world by storm
Reality television are high on drama. One such show which has high doses of it is the Telugu dance show Challenge -- The Ultimate Reality on Maa TV which shows contestants constantly bickering with each other.
And Omkar Nuthalapati, the producer and anchor of the show knows this very well. He is also the host of another famous dance show, Aata 5 on Zee Telugu.
Challenge -- The Ultimate Reality is a dance show which showcases not just dance moves by energetic dancers, but also a fiery face-off between the contestants.
Omkar spoke to Shwetal Rai about what makes Challenge -- The Ultimate Reality really tick.
'Elimination is based on votes given by the contestants themselves'
What makes Challenge such a hit with the audience?
What really works is that you can't guess the winner. The show has two groups of six contestants each. High scorers are encouraged by cash prizes of Rs 25,000. The best dance move of the day is awarded a memento and the contestant is given an i-pod. Finally, elimination is based on votes given by the contestants themselves.
The format of this show allows contestants to question each other's performances. Why?
It is part of reality! Also, it is a novelty in our show. In all other shows, it is for the judges to point out mistakes and suggest improvements. Here, contestants are allowed to bring to light a mistake by their peers. This also ensures that contestants perform well and give their best.
'We don't hesitate to show any emotions of the contestants'
In the course of cross questioning, do contestants get very aggressive?
Well, emotions are unpredictable. Portraying aggressive behaviour essentially depends on how one carries himself on the screen. Reality includes the exact depiction of what happens off the screen. As reality is our main theme, we don't hesitate to show any emotion.
Challenge gets more brickbats than bouquets. What do you feel about it?
There is nothing to feel embarrassed about it! It is a part of reality. Some of them enjoy criticism. Some take it seriously and develop themselves to perform well. But a few feel inferior. As I said earlier, it depends on the way people see and feel about the show.
'Both the dance shows I host are very close to my heart'
Your best experience on this show...
Each and every moment is beautiful. So it's hard to specify a single moment out of many!
Which show have you enjoyed hosting the most and why?
That's a tough one. It is like asking me which eye do I like the most out of the two!
Both the dance shows I host are very close to my heart. In one show, I deal with cute little kids; they don't know the world around them, and are least bothered about it. They just need good marks for their performance.
Dealing with such delicate hearts is just as tough as dealing with matured and grown ups on Challenge -- The Ultimate Reality. Both are incomparable.
'Music and dance do bring people together'
Most shows that you host are dance related. Any special reason?
Reality does very well when it relates to people. People have diverse talents. Yet, when I did a little study, I found out that music and dance do bring people together in large numbers. So, when it came to producing and hosting a reality show, I chose dance -- a field where the participation is huge. And there is this competitive spirit too.
How inspired are you by reality shows being aired on national TV?
I was inspired by the reality shows that are aired both nationally and internationally. The result of that inspiration is visible in my works on the shows that I host. It is that inspiration that enables me to take my shows to such great heights.