BIGG BOSS is a sophisticated air-conditioned jail — Sreelekha Mitra

“Became a fan of Salman Khan after watching yesterday’s episode of Bigg Boss 7” — was Sreelekha’s Facebook status update on Sunday.

I loved Saturday’s episode of Bigg Boss 7. The way Salman verbally thrashed contestants Kushal and Gauahar because they had abused Tanisha was damn good. He handled the entire thing in a very dignified manner yet gave the two left, right and centre! He called the two badtameez! I have never been a huge Salman fan, because I don’t like the films he does, but after watching Saturday’s episode I became his fan.

I am a huge fan of Bigg Boss. Every evening I wait for the clock to tick 9pm and I sit down to watch my favourite show, favourite because it’s a psychological game. Khub chaaper! It’s no mean feat to be in front of hundreds of cameras 24x7. How long can one maintain his/her outer façade? It’s not possible to be diplomatic all the time. Bigg Boss is a game that brings out the worst in you.

The participants are cut off from the rest of the world. They are made to work like dogs, from washing clothes to mopping floors to cleaning bathrooms, basically a life without luxuries, a life of extremes... one is pushed to the limits.... Bigg Boss is a sophisticated air-conditioned jail! Basically, the inmates lead a primitive life.

For me, watching Bigg Boss is like a psychological study. You support someone from the beginning thinking him/her to be a positive person but suddenly you are wrong. You realise what a fool you were.

In Bigg Boss 7, Apurva is playing really well. In this game you need to be cool and less emotional. Apurva is just that. Most of them are back-stabbers. The two qualities required to win Bigg Boss is to remain unaffected by everything and detach yourself. But how do you keep your cool?

Though I enjoy watching the show, I am not cut out to play this game. I can’t brush my teeth on national television! Besides I can’t leave my daughter behind for so many months. And I am very straightforward and I can’t gossip and backbite. If I see anything wrong, I will tell them on their faces and I don’t want people to see that ugly side of me. I lose my cool very fast.

BIGG BOSS IS a game of survivalof the fittest — Swastika Mukherjee

The Bigg Boss Bangla team had offered me to be a part of the show. I told them if I accept their offer, I will land up in jail, for sure! I would have murdered someone on the show! That’s why though the money was huge, I declined the offer.

I love watching Bigg Boss 7. It’s amazing how people inside the house try to be nice and happy for the first few days before showing their true colours. They actually back-stab people they make friends with. Also, it’s a game of survival of the fittest. You are constantly made to do things that you don’t like and this season, the tasks are disgusting. In one such task, Tanisha was called names by Kushal and Gauahar and Salman got more abusive than them but in a dignified manner.

I loved the way Salman said that even he has made many mistakes in his life, but he has learnt from them. I like the way Salman has handled all the seasons of the show. He doesn’t keep himself on a pedestal and that makes him so real.

I love to watch Bigg Boss whenever the inmates fight because it’s so funny how they fight over silly things like drinking milk from the refrigerator! It’s also a game of patience. Bigg Boss actually tests your patience. You have to share your room with 10 other people! God, I can never imagine doing that! Besides to be cut off from the rest of the world for three months, boss, I’m not cut out for that! No phone, no newspaper, only task, scanty food.... I guess that’s why the show is so interesting.

My dad (Santu Mukherjee) keeps asking me what I love about the show because he only sees the episodes where the contestants are fighting like crazy. But I find their fights funny and at the end of it, I have a good laugh. I think the show also teaches you how to maintain your level of sanity in extreme situations. And, it’s better than watching the mindless serials on TV; Bigg Boss is a better timepass. My sister (Ajopa) too is hooked to it.

For three months, we laugh and cry with the contestants.