Shah Rukh Khan may pump up the jam as the studio host of Zor Ka Jhatka, the desi version of Wipeout (starting end-January on Imagine), but it is the pretty Saumya Tandon (remember Kareena Kapoor’s cousin Roop in Jab We Met?) who is getting to catch all the live action in Argentina as the on-ground host. A t2 chat…

After hosting a talent show Dance India Dance, why do an about-turn with an adventure reality show?

That’s because I have always loved Wipeout. I think it is a super concept, a show that is not only edge-of-the-seat and adventurous, but is also extremely funny. You have to see some of the stunts that we are shooting here. Most of the time you will see me laughing my head off. It’s totally crazy here; in fact, crazy is an understatement. You have the contestants falling over each other, getting dunked in mud pools, doing a sack race on a treadmill… it just doesn’t get more comic and more challenging than this. In my opinion, Wipeout is the biggest adventure show in the world and I am really honoured to be a part of it.

How does it feel hosting a show with Shah Rukh Khan?

I think this show is made for Shah Rukh Khan. Wipeout means fun, comedy, adventure, challenges and it can also be very quirky sometimes… all traits that, according to me, Shah Rukh embodies. Our equation is not really of regular co-hosts because I am on-ground and he is in the studio, but I can say that we are more than regular co-hosts now! I am the interface between him and the contestants — if he loves them, it passes through me; if he hates them, it passes through me! He is very, very spontaneous, because of which I have to be on my toes all the time. Because you never know when he is going to pull me up, just like he does with the contestants! He has an extremely perceptive mind, is incredibly alert and I hope all these things do rub off on me. For me, nothing really beats SRK as the host for a format like this.

How has it been shooting in Argentina?

The sets of the international Wipeout format are in Argentina and so we had to shoot here. And I can say that Buenos Aires has been truly amazing. It is 23 hours away from India and it takes a hell of a lot of effort to get here, but I don’t think Wipeout would have been as much fun if we had shot it anywhere else. Argentina is a beautiful country and the people here actually look a lot like Indians. So, it feels like we never really are too far from home.

Saumya Tandon

The contestants are an eclectic mix — from TV stars to wrestlers to models. Who has been doing well on the show so far?

Yes, we have all kinds of contestants on Zor Ka Jhatka and that is what makes it so much fun. You name any kind of person and we have it on the show. There are some who are serious, some who are very funny; there are some who are petrified of doing most of the tasks while there are others who will plunge into any stunt, no matter what. Each of the 28 contestants brings something unique to the table. I really can’t reveal who is doing well till now, but I can definitely say that the girls are outdoing the boys. You really have to see some of the women on the show. Most of them are like “Bring it on!” while many men sulk in the corner. I feel so proud sometimes. More power to women!

What do you think are the five must-haves for a good TV show host?

Be natural. Be natural. Be natural. Be natural. Be natural. Everything else just follows.

Who is your favourite TV host? Tell t2@abpmail.com