Bigg Boss will hold auditions for the first time in the UAE and India for Season 10 of Bigg Boss, tabloid! can reveal.
Colors Television, the channel that broadcasts the hit show — India’s version of Big Brother — confirmed casting of inmates for the notorious madhouse will take place in April.
“For the first time, Bigg Boss will have its viewers as participants and it won’t just be about celebrities. We want the viewers to feel involved too. We are going to launch a big competition in the UAE in mid-April,” said Sachin Gokhale, head of business and vice president at IndiaCast (Colors TV, MTV India and Rishtey Asia).
Participants have to be UAE residents, above 21 years of age with no criminal record.
“We will be looking for interesting, colourful personalities. A bit of eccentricity may work in your favour. Who thought eccentricity and quirky personalities would be a good currency one day?
“We will be finalising the details of the auditions soon,” Gokhale added, prior to unveiling his plans for the rest of the year.
Sadly for fans, Bigg Boss host Salman Khan will not be present at the UAE round of auditions. The finalists who make it will be flown to India for further scrutiny.
Bigg Boss has spawned several stars, including former inmate adult-film actress Sunny Leone. She became a household name after her entry into the Bigg Boss house and was liked for her demure personality.
Apart from involving UAE residents in Bigg Boss, plans are also on to create locally produced shows.
“We want to grow our local content. Shows that are made in the UAE with a focus on South Asians will be one of the highlights. We will also create shows that cover various topics such as health, lifestyle and wellness,” said Gokhale.
“This Saturday, we will be launching Salaam Namaste. It’s a show that celebrates interesting South Asians who have made the UAE their home. We have deliberately stayed away from page 3 celebrities and socialites,” said Gokhale.
Some of the people who will be featured in the show include Ruchika Kalra, who has launched an initiative to make malls wheel-chair friendly, Himanshu Saini, executive chef of modern Indian restaurant Tresind.
“Through this show, we want to celebrate people who have dealt with their own set of challenges but still managed to help people in the UAE and make it their home,” said Gokhale. A quiz on cricket and a Bollywood quiz (airing in September) is also being planned.
“The film quiz is not an individual contest. We want the entire family to participate and they will be quizzed on Bollywood film dialogues, songs etc. “This will be telecast on Rishtey channel and the winning family will be given the opportunity to visit a Bollywood film set and interact with some stars,” said Gokhale.
Plans are also on to film the second season of Body And Mind, a health and fitness TV show, by January next year.
Local shows aren’t the sole focus. A live show in the UAE, which will bring together big artists from India and Pakistan, is also being worked out.
“Our plan is to introduce new shows and events every quarter. We want to create local content that connects with the UAE audience,” said Gokhale.
