Anwar (extreme right) with his Roadies co-contestants

After months of fighting it out, what is it that left you the last man standing?

It would have to be a combination of honesty, guts and performance. I was the only contestant who had no major enemies and got along well with everyone. In the end, my honesty paid off.

Looking back, how would you describe the Roadies journey?

It was a very painful experience because I got injured many times (laughs)! But otherwise, it was one hell of a journey. A bunch of strangers put together and made to perform death-defying tasks and play mind-games made for not only great television, we as contestants enjoyed it too.

When you got eliminated in the initial stages, did you ever think that you could eventually go on to win the show?

I always had my hopes high because I had been watching the previous seasons and I knew that the makers would introduce one final twist that would take everyone by surprise. Mohit (Malik) was the favourite to win, but I guess everyone decided to pitch me against him in the finale because I was the only one who could stand up to him.

What was your strategy getting into Roadies?

I was perhaps the most under-prepared of the lot because till the last moment my entry into Roadies remained uncertain. When I got into the show, I discovered that all the others had already started bonding big time. I also was aware of the kind of politics that was going on and tried to keep myself away as much as possible. I really didn’t have a strategy but just took one day at a time because that’s the only thing you can do on Roadies!

What was the toughest part of Roadies?

Each day was tough, but what was toughest for me was choosing between two friends during vote out. I hated that aspect of the show.

Who else had the best chance to be the Roadies 7 champ?

Mohit was the favourite from the start because he was unbeatable when it came to the tasks. But I think Amritpal is a true Roadie because not only is he physically adept and mentally strong, he is also a very good human being.

Who are the contestants you will keep in touch with after the show?

Definitely Priyanka, Meghna and Amritpal. But everyone else on the show was also a friend. I think what was different about Roadies 7 is that there was very little back-biting and politics unlike previous seasons. Everyone bonded well and helped each other.

Previous Roadies winners have gone on to a career in television. Do you plan to follow suit?

I haven’t really decided yet because the feeling hasn’t sunk in. But yes, I plan to leverage my new-found fame and look at options on television. I already have a job (as a software engineer in Jamshedpur) but I can always look at trying my hand at something else too.