Violence in Bigg Boss: An acceptable TRP game?

Kushal Tandon had hit VJ Andy last season while this time it was Puneet Issar who hit Arya Babbar. Both contestants were asked to leave but then immediately called back into the house though their contract states that physical violence is unacceptable.

And in another far worse incident, housemate Ali Quli Mirza didn’t have to face eviction after he slid his hand under fellow contestant Sonali Raut’s rug at night, touching her in an inappropriate way without her consent.

Sonali’s publicist Dale Bhagwagar feels contestants get away with such behaviour because the house allows. “Reprimanding him in front of all the contestants and the viewers, Bigg Boss clearly stated, that because of his indecent behaviour, Ali was being stripped of his Captaincy. But a few days later, in one of the questions asked to Karishma Tanna and Gautram Gulati in the Confession Room, Bigg Boss asked if they think Ali should be made the Captain again. When Bigg Boss had taken such a strong stand for a lady earlier, why was this question posed in the first place? Doesn’t it smack of double standards by none other than the Boss himself?

So is it the TRP factor that makes the Bigg Boss ignore bad behaviour? We ask ex-contestants.VJ Andy, who had been hit by Kushal last season, says strict action is required against those who cross the line in the garb of entertainment. “Is it acceptable to strike someone in the Bigg Boss house? I’m absolutely against violence even if people call it entertainment. It is inexcusable if a contestant hits another. I’ve been in a position where I was attacked in the house and yes I did leave the decision in the Bigg Boss team’s hands and they removed the danger from the house when it was required.

“As for Puneet Issar, we have seen him strike out quite a few times and it could be dangerous living with such a person. But if the public has voted him in, I’m wondering if that is what the public wants to see? Is that entertainment for them? If I was in the house I wouldn’t have felt safe with Puneet inside. I feel the show needs to set a standard otherwise every year someone will hit another and walk back in. Bigg Boss should actually surprise us by disqualifying such contestants.”

Even early in the game show, in Season 3, contestant Kamal R. Khan (KRK) was asked to leave the house for violent behaviour, but he wasn’t given a chance to return because the rules were different at then. KRK says with a host like Amitabh Bachchan, the game used to be fair.

“During Bigg Boss Season 2 and 3, contestants were disqualified for violence. Now with Imam, Kushal, Puneet, coming back it’s obvious that it has turned into a commercial show. Producers need big money and TRPs if they have a host like Salman Khan on board. How else will the producers pay his fees? Even for the recent wild cards, I know that the team met 20-25 girls and then selected three according to kitni maar-peet and jhagra kar sakti hai. During the earlier seasons, the format of Big Brother was followed and we had a dignified host like Mr Bachchan, who would ensure rules were followed.”

Contestant Sushant Divgikar, who has just left the house, also feels that contestants like Puneet returning is unacceptable. “It’s in our contract that we can’t hit people so it’s definitely unfair that Puneet is back. Then he’s says it wasn’t intentional, he was using a martial arts move. Next someone will hit a co-contestant on the face, break their teeth and say there was a mosquito on their face and I didn’t like it’s shape so I hit you, it wasn’t done intentionally. Will that be acceptable too?”

Last season’s contestant Ajaz Khan, who was involved in many controversies himself, opines that rules should be fixed to maintain the standard of the game. “'It’s not fair for house mates because then it looks like the game is in the channel’s hands. Rules have to be strict, like last season I wanted to stay without a shirt like I do in my own house. It was made into a big issue in the house even by Bigg Boss himself. This season Gautam Gulati is bare chested all the time. Why not have fixed rules for every season?”