I happened to be in Delhi last Saturday and sat down to watch the Mumbai audition episode of Roadies Hell Down Under with my parents. But before it started I told them that they could not ask me any question after watching it. I knew that in terms of language and violence, this episode was particularly explicit. But of course, they’re my parents. Nobody can stop them from asking questions. “Why did you throw the nice boy out (Sufi)?” “Why are you pushing the sweet little kid around (Ashish)?” “Why are you pulling his leg so much? He has such a sweet smile (Sunny).” Though I think all these questions were adequately answered in the episode itself. Sufi was the one who provoked us.

Ashish went against the one cardinal rule of Roadies. Do not prepare and assume a different personality. Be yourself. I had to present him with a dramatic situation he had not prepared for, to see how he reacted. Sunny had an impressive form. We wanted to see how interesting he could be in a situation going completely against him.

But the favourite part of the episode for me was the small sneak-peek of the journey at the end. Everyone who saw it was left breathless. But what has been shown is just the tippy-tippy-top of the iceberg. This year’s journey, if I may say so myself, is explosive!

Nothing is the way you would expect. Forget what you’ve seen in previous years. Roadies this year is bigger and badder. The whole format has been changed, while preserving the basic DNA of the show. You see, we’re well aware of the fact that the contestants have been following the show and will come with a game-plan. They try and anticipate us. But little do they realise that we anticipate them all too well, and have by now become experts at changing the game.

One thing I’m personally really excited about is Akshay Kumar! Yes, we finally managed to get him on the show. Both Rannvijay and I are big fans and it was a personal victory for me to get him on board. But the poor roadies had to pay the price for my little ambition… he completely bajaao’d them with the twist he brought in. You’ll be able to see it in this, the first journey episode.

Now let me tell you something that, if I don’t, you’re not likely to figure out by yourself. Roadies Hell Down Under is inspired by Batman: The Dark Knight! Rannvijay, Rajiv and I are all Batman freaks, and were completely floored by the film (we saw the premiere together, and that’s when we decided to interpret it in our way).

Some situations that were shown in the film, whether eventually resolved or not, find resonance in this series. The roadies are faced with the same moral dilemmas that were faced by Batman and the people of Gotham City. And my presence on the journey is my tribute to the one and only Joker, the irrepressible “Agent of Chaos”. The big difference is, I don’t like smiling. (I’m sure I inspire the question “why so serious?”)

Can’t reveal more right now. Watch the show and tell me if you make the connection. Till next time…

Catch Akshay Kumar in Roadies Hell Down Under on MTV, tonight at 7pm