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The villa in Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah where Splitsvilla is being shot; (above) host Nikhil Chinappa tries milking a camel |
After fun Phuket in season 3, it’s dynamic Dubai in season 4. Splitsvilla — the popular MTV reality show which has a bunch of boys and girls vying for each other’s attention — is all set to make a comeback in an edgier avatar.
“Our core audience is the 18-year-old urban Indian youth who wants to be a backpack traveller. For them, watching it on TV is therefore the next best thing to visiting a place. Also, a new topography always lends itself to the format of a show. The exciting format of Splitsvilla and the exotic locales of Dubai are a perfect fit,” says Sandeep Dahiya, associate vice president, communications at MTV.
Hosted by VJ Nikhil Chinappa, Splitsvilla 4 will follow the tried-and-tested format of the last man standing choosing his partner from among the women contestants. Like every season, bitchiness, backbiting and betrayal form part of the package. “Though the format remains the same, it is the contestants with their own personalities and backstories who decide the content and flavour of the show every season. The competition is different, the contestants are different, the vibe is different,” Nikhil told t2 in between shots on a balmy Tuesday evening at the Palm Jumeirah beach in Dubai.
If season I had 20 girls vying for the attention of two men, then it was 10 boys and 10 girls competing for love in season 2. Season 3 witnessed a slight change in format — 10 singles and five couples fought to remain the last ones standing. In season 4, it is 13 girls up against three boys. “Every season we try out different contestant permutations and combinations to enliven the show. There is always a new tension, a new chemistry and a new interplay between the contestants,” smiled Deborah Polycarp, the show’s executive producer.
“Off-camera, I spend zero time with the contestants because this is their world and I am an outsider. I also want them to be uninhibited when they are facing the cameras. The moment they spot me, I am sure they will clam up and not reveal what they want to say,” said Nikhil.
Each of the three boys on the show will lead a camp (qabila) with four girls. To ensure the safety of the girls, the boys in each qabila will have to compete against each other. The winner of the task will be crowned the King of Splitsvilla for that week and it is the King who gets to decide which girl to keep and which to oust from the game.
This season the stakes get higher (a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh and a chance to host a show on MTV) and the game grittier. “Edgy is something that MTV has for breakfast, but the effort every season is not to make a show that is tangibly edgier, but to come up with content that is superior and fun and something that connects with the youth of the country,” said Nikhil.
Shot over a month, Splitsvilla 4 will play out over 13 one-hour-long weekly episodes. “I think 13 episodes are enough for a show of this format. The youth of today is very dynamic and their attention span is less. It’s better to keep it short and simple,” added Nikhil.
For a one-hour episode, no less than 210 hours of footage is clocked!
On day one, t2 was taken on a tour of the luxurious 13,000sq ft villa that plays home to Splitsvilla 4. Located in the upscale Palm Jumeirah’s B Frond area (Shah Rukh Khan and David Beckham’s villas, we were told, were within breathing distance), the extravagant villa lends itself to the magic of Splitsvilla. A swimming pool and a private beach makes it possible for a lot of action and reaction to be captured.
“Despite the modern look and feel, Dubai has a unique history and a unique vibe. We had a competition centred around belly dancing which looked beautiful and vibrant and was yet intrinsically a part of Splitsvilla,” said Nikhil.
On day two, the action shifted to the Hatta desert, an hour-long drive from the city centre. The task for the day? The sticky — and rather stinky — job of milking a camel! As the boys braved it out against some every moody camels, an amused Nikhil looked on. “I have milked cows and goats, but camels seem a different ball game altogether,” he laughed.
Task over, the crew of 60 took turns calculating the amount of milk each contestant had managed to collect. The winner was declared the “king” for the week.
“On Splitsvilla, we set up a challenge. But who will win that challenge, how he or she will win it, the aftermath of the challenge, what are the emotions that will play out… is something that we never plan. That is the beauty and the allure of the show,” said Nikhil, a three-season Splitsvilla veteran.