Reality shows on TV have been getting whackier and shorter. What hasn’t changed, however, is the presence of ‘celebrity judges’, who play an important part in the whole ‘drama’. It’s a give-and-take arrangement; judges provide the much-needed glam factor for some shows while popular shows have showered some with the kind of fame they could never have achieved otherwise. To be a reality show judge is clearly the most sought after job currently in the entertainment world; lot of cash and visibility and not much responsibility.
In the beginning, the channels used to select judges carefully but nowadays, what matters is celebrity status alone. Singers can judge comedy shows and actresses can appear as ‘celebrity guests’ for music competitions. And, contestants have little choice except to grin and seek their blessings.
Money makes the entertainment world go round and the pay for a judge ranges between Rs 15,000 to Rs 3 lakh a day, depending on their credibility and star value. Bigger the profile, higher the remuneration. All they need to do is to put marks, pass comments and do anything that will help increase the TRP ratings.
"If I am a viewer of a comedy show, won’t I have an opinion about the performance of the contestants? That’s what I give when I am a judge. I am not a great judge,” confesses singer Rimi Tomy, playback singer who now judges a popular comedy reality show. She admits that it provides her an additional income just like her stage shows.
Not every judge considers it as another arm chair job that brings in the moolah but an extension of their profession. Says music director Deepak Dev: “It is a platform for technicians like us to explore. Though I had scored music for hit songs in Chronic Bachelor, Naran and Udayananu Tharam before becoming a judge at a music reality show, I was no celebrity then. It is the reality show that made people recognise me as a musician. I got a chance to reach out to the masses. Moreover, while doing a show, we may come across new talents whom we can tap later.” In fact, he had spotted singer Job Kurian at a reality show.
Though they get a hike in remuneration with each show, the responsibility also increases, he says. “It is a tough job. Our audience has become well-informed about raagam and thaalam by watching such shows. So we must be careful while giving our opinion.”
Can’t some of the judges avoid the kind of antics they do on stage and the pranks they play with the contestants? “People want the judge to be friendly with the contestants. Over the years, we have been saying the same things. So, we are expected to be amiable,” he adds.
Actor Jagadish, who is the chief judge of a comedy show, says it gives him a kind of high. “I am an artiste. I want to be in a field related to arts. It gives me a chance to mingle with people and to find new talents. It is my pleasure to share my knowledge with them. But, that doesn’t mean that being a judge is more comfortable than being a cine artiste. I respect both fields and I find time to do both.”
A television producer, requesting anonymity, says that the boom time for reality show judges may not last forever. “There are many viewers who still want to watch the contestants fight it out but are put off by the judges. It is time we thought of shows which depend on viewers’ choices alone,” he says.
