We’ve heard that celebrities are not willing to be on the show’s hot seat.
Yeah. Look, celebrities are already under the public scanner. They want to safeguard their personal life, so it’s difficult for a public figure to be on the show.
Will people be interested in ordinary people baring it all?
I am sure the viewers will connect with them. Ordinary people are far more interesting than celebs. All of us have grey areas in our life. When you see people confessing to their wrong-doing, affairs and crimes in front of their families who are right there in the studio, you end up admiring them.
What kind of people have been coming on the show?
All kinds of people from a 57-year-old housewife to a Navy guy. For me as a host, it’s been an emotional roller-coaster ride.
Are you shocked at the truths?
I am not shocked but there are times when I tend to be judgmental. There was this guy Sunil Singh (a power yoga instructor) who came on the show. When I read his life story, I couldn’t bring myself to believe the things he had done. (Apparently the youngster is not a certified instructor. He took undue advantage by touching girls inappropriately while teaching.) But when I started questioning him on the show, he confessed to all his wrong-doing. It was an emotional journey for him and us.
Isn’t this dangerous? Won’t relationships get affected by their confessions?
I don’t think so. People actually feel a sense of relief when they face up to the truths. You can’t live with a lie all your life. It can lead to depression. This is an opportunity to cleanse your life. Even if relatives get upset, it will be short-lived. Knee-jerk reactions don’t have a lasting effect.
As a host, do you guide them?
I don’t guide them but yes, I keep warning them about the after-effects and explain the rules of the game.
Will you ever be on the hot seat?
My job does not allow me to be on the hot seat. Even otherwise, as I said earlier, I am under the scanner all the time. If I bare it all, what will I have of my own?
What about Return Gift?
It’s a UTV Spotboy production. The film is about bureaucracy and has a completely different set-up. Besides that, I have accepted two stories. Peter Gaya Kaam Se has just five days shooting left. It should release by the end of this year.
Do you think your success has paved the way for other TV actors to think big?
It’s too early to call me successful. I was part of a film Aamir, which worked. But yes, it has helped remove bias towards actors from any field.
