Is it going to be the passion of Lai Bhari, the madness of Ved or the darkness of Ek Villain or the combination of all these elements unleashed, as Riteish Deshmukh assumes the position of the new Bigg Boss Marathi host, one wonders. “Like any other human being, all these emotions are deep within, and when the time is right you will know how they come to the surface! It totally depends on the time, the situation and the contestant. I really can’t predict how this is going to unfold!,” responds Riteish.
His new hairdo (the bun is striking) that compliments the thick beard makes the 45-year-old look like a formidable host already as he sits down for this exclusive interview with The Free Press Journal.
He must have studied his role and what the challenging job demands. “Primarily, it is about the contestants, the games they play and their mindsets. It is important to grasp in which direction the games and the dynamics are heading. You have got to understand how it all unfolds, why some choose to stop playing the game, and eventually as a host you have to prod them, push them or even encourage them to ensure that they stay in the game. It’s like a horse race! Sometime some horses begin fast, then they may slow down a bit, some start galloping faster. It all happens. Mind you, it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon! You need to pace your innings really well and I hope that the contestants are smart enough (to know this). Every week one contestant will walk out and everyone must ensure that it’s not him or her.” he elaborates.
For someone who is seen and celebrated as the guy next door with an unmissable boyish charm, how is Riteish going to use his controlled aggression as a tool as the host of the show the format of which needs one to be a tough taskmaster? “You have to command the aggression needed (for this format), only when you seriously need it. You have to assess the situation and then react. I can’t go shouting at everyone like a mad man inside the house! If I start doing that then they will think that the host is acting like a contestant.” he elaborates.
Bigg Boss has been successfully hosted by Salman Khan and Amitabh Bachchan in its Hindi format, actor-director Mahesh Manjrekar too has been appreciated for his hosting skills in the Marathi format of the show. Ask Riteish who is his favourite Bigg Boss host and pat comes the response, “There have been iconic hosts but no one can be a better host than Salman Bhau (Salman Khan). He is what he is because of his inherent swag, the attitude and it really matches with what he does in this format of the show! When it comes to Amit Ji, and ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’, he hosts the iconic show of the international stature, no one can do the job better than Mr. Amitabh Bachchan! So, yes everyone has their respective space and what they have done is brilliant!.”
Going forward, is there a strategy in place for the new Bigg Boss Marathi host, we quiz. “I don’t know what one is going to face and how one is going to face it. You have to take it the way it comes. Simply put, don’t over-plan, because you are going to screw it up if you gonna plan way too much!,” he signs off!
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