From Stunt riders to buddies to friends

I've just made friends with a bunch of strangers who I've not got much in common with... It all started three weeks ago when I arrived on the set location of my shoot for another stunt-based reality show - Stunt Mania Reloaded for MTV. The show format is slightly different this time, where four squads of three boys each will compete with each other but each squad will be led by a female squad leader - a girl - who will take decisions and guide the squad helping them get to the top. Of course, none of the twelve boys who had auditioned for the show and made it to the squads were aware of this new twist. It was to be a complete surprise for them on the very first episode - a surprise that I wasn't sure whether or not they'd take pleasantly.

Chahatt, Ishita, Janice & Shaurya - Four squad leaders on MTV Stunt Mania Reloaded

So we were about to begin shooting for the first episode. Both, the boys as well as the squad leaders (me and three other girls - Chahatt, Ishita and Shaurya) were taken to the base camp or 'Stunt Academy' but very carefully and secretly so that the boys' surprise wasn't ruined. Once the boys were welcomed on the show and put into squads, it was time for the big surprise. In walked wearing Black, Red, Blue and Grey squad leader uniforms four sexy girls. The impression on the boy's faces was worth a Kodak moment. They were amazed, excited, trilled, surprised, puzzled - all at once. Alan Amin and Anouskha Manchanda, the hosts had each squad pick their own squad colours, but by picking a number. I had absolutely no clue who would pick the number that had grey - my colour; no clue what these boys were like - if we'd get along, if they were well skilled, if they were better than the others or even where they were from...

They had picked. At first glance, my three boys looked really young and like any average teenage boys. Not quite the stunt riders I had expected! I quickly got to know their names - Aditya, Nadeem and Shariq. I was then handed over the keys to our garage, the pulsars and our new homes! I kissed these keys when Alan sir handed them over to me because these were the keys to our life for the next month to come!! And this was also going to be the start of a new relationship, a new friendship; comradeship with a few and WAR with some. My boys and I picked our squad name - The SILVER PSYCHEDELICS

The Silver Psychedelics (MTV Stunt Mania Reloaded)

Sayed Nadeem (Bob) is a 19 year old kid from Bangalore whose passions are stunt riding and rapping. His top favorite rapper being 2Pac! Nadeem's an excellent off-roader and does the Seat Stander (better known as Christ) with such perfection!

Shariq Khan (Shark) is a big surprise in a tiny package! He's perhaps one of the best riders in Alan's academy this season. Shariq's control on the throttle and his excellent balance makes him a champion with wheelies, shoppies, no-handers, the human compass; but that's not it! Shariq's stunt riding is so awesome because he entertains while he performs making him perfect as a true stunt rider!

Aditya Singh Thakur (Eddy) is a local from Himachal Pradesh and has spent all his teenage life on bikes - he talks, eats, and sleeps bikes. No jokes! He's even got pictures of bike parts lying on his bedroom floor!! he's a huge fan of Chris Pfifer and believes he was meant to be a stunt rider because that's what he does best!

Stunt riders, competitors all gel like one big family

At the academy, days went by like the changing of seasons - expectedly but unpredictably. Every new day brought out new challenges that we faced together as a team. And after our skill and survival stunts were shot each day we all went back to being one big family at the base camp. We shared accessories, ate and drank together, hung out in each others' cottages and played games to entertain ourselves... even cried together sometimes. Of course there were also some not so pleasant relationships, for example BJ from Black Demons and his squad leader Chahatt never got along and would fight and abuse each other all day long! BJ and Ajay (also from the same squad) hated each other's guts. The Fire Dragons hated Bhullar but luckily for them he went out the first day itself.

It was interesting to see how the competition was only getting tougher day-by-day! As we went on episode by episode, the numbers thinned out and finally the day arrived when just two - the BEST of the best - were left! Now, the whole of India awaits to see who will be India's best STUNT MANIAC 2010!

A trip to the past

I woke up with the sun shining brightly in my face, I turned around and squinted through my eyes to look for the time. It was 6 o'clock in the morning! That's when I realised that I'm on the East coast of India - the side where the sun rises earlier and the days end sooner. Coming from the West coast, it's always been hard to imagine the sun rising in the sea, but it sure makes for a beautiful site if you catch it, that is.

So here I was in Calcutta (or Kolkata) - my first trip to West Bengal, and ready to take a train to the less famous or known, Durgapur. I had already had a taste of local rosogolas prepared by the all so friendly Maharaj who looked after the guest house I lodged at. My driver was early and suggested we take off so that he may have the pleasure to give me a mini tour of the city too. I agreed that it was a brilliant idea! We passed by the old Calcutta markets, the newer commercial area, the library and bible society, Dharmatala -the government administrative area and strand road. He showed me the Victoria monument, Science city, I saw the world-famous Calcutta tram too. And then we passed over Howrah bridge over the Hugli river to Howrah railway station. The entire tour which lasted under 2 hours was so colourful - yellow and green rickshaws, public buses in even more colours with fancy designs on their rear, the great Ambassador taxis in bright yellow. The station itself was unique - you could drive 'into' the station and pull up parallel along the platform since there was a road that ran all the way through the station in between platforms and went out the other side. So, inside you saw train engines, train compartments, coolies, passengers, shops, stalls, families, bikes, cars, hand carts and even bicycles. I thought it was an extremely convenient and smart concept; why hadn't Mumbai thought of it?

The journey to Durgapur is just around 2 hours on the Shatabdi. The trains here though aren't very exciting - with the Eastern railways still using the old coaches that perhaps ran in the early 80s. The atmosphere in Durgapur was entirely different - Durgapur could be in any state, any part of the country. It has no distinct Bengally characteristic to it. What I did notice is that this small town was rapidly developing. On one hand I saw houses built of mud and families rearing goats and hens while on the other I saw large manufacturing plants with their housing colonies spread across wide, open expanses of the town. Durgapur was also growing with educational institutes springing up at every bend, ranging from management colleges to hospitality and software.

I stayed at a nice guest house situated in a quiet and residential area on Sir Martin Luther King road. What I loved about the place is the density of trees and the unimaginable variety of birds that lived there. I heard the sweetest sounds of chirping and singing all day long while I explored the area. At times it would thunder and there would be light drizzles which made the air cool. It was always windy so the heat was never unbearable. The soil here made it perfect for gardening and most neighbouring houses had the prettiest flower gardens I had seen in a long time. When the afternoon came, things got quite still with not many people or vehicles moving around, so I'd sit in the veranda and stare into the trees, watching the birds dance from one branch to another. And that's when nostalgia suddenly sank in - this was my life when I grew up, this was my life in the house I was born, this was what my grandmother missed when our house was demolished and she was forced to live in an apartment for the first time of her life because some big realty brand had the power to buy the entire estate off... this was what brought her an early death.

I never did understand at that time what it must have done to her. Of course, we all missed and mourned having to give up our massive house with the most well manicured garden in the heart of Mulund in 1999, we all wondered what life would be like living in an apartment, we all were disappointed. But my grandmother, Irene, didn't let us know how difficult it was going to be for her; how she was a free bird who wasn't used to be caged. In the old days at the old house, every occasion was a feast; every birthday was a celebration; every guest in Mumbai was our guest. The apartment changed it all. Grandma Irene no longer cooked for 8-10 families on a feast day, she no longer baked her awesome rum cakes, and no longer watered her rose garden.

It took me a trip to Durgapur 11 years after our little Durgapur was taken away from us to relive the pain that lead to Irene Fernandes' slow death. How long with it take our generation to realise what we're doing to all the beautiful land and trees around us and for the future generations?

Celebrating womanhood!

Today's headlines: '14 years on, women's quota bill may get smooth passage'.

It's noteworthy that our country is taking some measure to ensure women get equal status and opportunity. What the reality is, is of course a different debate altogether.

With International Women's day being recognized as part of the 68 internationally celebrated commemorative days, and having been celebrated for over a century now it's disturbing why women in so many parts of the world still struggle to claim their social and economic rights. One may debate that the law is discriminative in may countries and regions, some may even say that we live in a patriarchal society and so things naturally trend towards women being superseded by the male. But then again it's the chicken and the egg story!

A very interesting statement in the sermon by the priest last evening, speaking on women's day, left me pondering:

We each are guilty for STILL patronizing patriarchy!

In a marriage, why does the man always have to be older than the woman, taller, earning more, be better or equally qualified? Why does the woman have to leave her home and family and start afresh, while the man's life stays pretty much the same? Why does the woman have to change her name and her identity? The list is endless...

My question to women out there:

Do you have it in you to do the opposite? Will you marry a younger guy and be the main bread winner of the family? Will you buy a house for your future husband? Will you marry a shorter and lesser qualified man?

My question to the men reading this:

Are you intimidated by women that are equally or more successful? Will you change your name after marriage? Will you be a stay-home father while your woman pursues her career?

As I write this piece today, a hymn from my school calendar book comes to mind:

"It takes courage to answer a call

it takes courage to give your all

It takes courage to risk your name

it takes courage to be true

It takes courage to dare what no other will share

To be standing alone, One who no one will own

To be ready to stake for another man's sake

It takes courage to be true."

Life after FEAR FACTOR, KHATRON KE KHILADI

So, it's finally over - the experience, the show, the after parties, the news headlines - All. The moments that changed mine and the 12 other commoners' lives forever have passed by in a flash, took us by storm and dropped us down with the same lightening speed down to reality. All that's left are the pictures and videos from the show and I keep going back to my website to relive the experience.

The second season of Khatron Ke Khiladi - Fear Factor and I'm on it!

But the dreams and nightmares never did stop. Sundeep Khatri, Roopali Ganguli's partner from Orissa called me one morning asking how I was and talked about how life was not really the same after Fear Factor. Everywhere he went he was recognised and treated differently too (in a good way, of course) and even though within his own self he'd never remember any of it, he was constantly reminded that he was not really the same regular boy he was before September 2009 in his city and in India. But that was not it, it was also the restless thirst, the want for more, the desire to get more attention and be known even more that haunted most of us. Gurmeet Singh, who went on to win the show along with his partner Anushka Manchanda, has quit his job and after been honoured by various clubs and foundations in the city he comes from in Punjab is now considering moving to Mumbai to get work in the industry. Goonj, Carol Gracious' partner, too is now planning to shift base to Mumbai.

I loved the thrill of adventure and beautiful Cape Town

What is it about Bollywood that attracts and draws people who get a taste of it to get deeper and deeper. It's like a drug that takes the better of you and you lose all consciousness in reasoning. I can't say that I haven't been smitten too. Perhaps the consequences for me a smaller, since I am from the sin city myself and so don't have to sacrifice much to give it a shot. But that doesn't mean that life hasn't taken a new turn in my life.

Fortunately for me I've had a great time so far and met some really nice people who've been mentors, friends and guides. I had an opportunity to meet Nisha Harale, well known model, actress and socialite, at a paintball match organized by Sony Pix in which we were opponents. Somehow we really clicked and today she's one of my most trusted friend and mentor. She's an inspiration not only to me, but many others just with the way she's sustained in the industry and works so hard, and yet has a very simple and respectful family life. Her parents and sister are so warm and of course husband Adam Bedi is also very entertaining. I hadn't imagined I'd actually like someone so quickly after meeting them so recently.

There are also many others who are in here only to make a quick buck and have traps set up for all the new, unaware aspirants who come looking to make it big in the biggest B - Bollywood. I've met many such. It's sad that so many fall prey to their excellent marketing pitches and will actually do anything to give it a shot, while these characters mercilessly drain you dry of every resource you have left.

In the end, my nightmares that I had during my one month in Cape Town shooting for Fear Factor still haunt me and I wonder if they'll ever stop. The show wasn't as fearful as the nightmares that haunted most of us every night... and still continue. I guess that's exactly what Bollywood is like. The good or bad times pass by easily and fast, but the nightmares linger on forever........

FEAR FACTOR - Getting There..

August 14, 2008 - Netra Raghuraman wins Fear Factor Khatron ke Khiladi.

I remember watching that episode - the expression of joy and accomplishment on Netra's face, and saying to myself 'Wow, I can hardly imagine what it would feel like to be in her place!' All my life I was the tomboy of my clan, 'One among the guys'. I don't think there's been a single day in my life without some adventure even if it was just jumping a wall on a shortcut to school.

February 24, 2009 - I'm driving back home from the gym. It's around 10:45pm and my favourite radio show 'City City Bang Bang' is playing on the stereo. I catch on to the RJs announcement "For all those of you who missed applying for the auditions to Fear Factor, Khatron Ke Khiladi - Level 2 here's your last chance... Enter the Jump the Queue contest and get a chance to go directly to the auditions in Mumbai"

My hands fumbled around for my cell phone while all my attention was focused on the sms number to send responses to. I already had the answer to the question in my head. All I had to do was hit SEND. Phew!!! Once I'd sent it I was happy and then forgot all about it the next morning.

Two days later an unknown number flashed on my phone and the lady on the other side of the line said she was calling regarding Khatron Ke Khiladi and that I won the Jump the Queue contest and a chance to go to the Mumbai auditions!!! It was 3 days later at Andheri Sports complex. My heart raced as my mind quickly started building dreams of being on the show. Actually meeting Akshay Kumar, who I'd been a huge fan of since 1990, gave me butterflies!!

March 1, 2009 - I arrived at the venue and fortunately for me there was a separated queue for the JTQ winners; unlike the 10,000 odd others who, by the way, had to send in their applications online which were later screened and only approved ones were called for auditioning. When I saw their never ending queue though, my hopes and dreams came crashing down to the ground and more so when I learnt that they were auditioning in 5 other cities too! The vast majority of applicants that surrounded me were struggling Bollywood aspirants with some 100 odd auditioning experiences and this was my FIRST! No way was there a chance for me among the 25,000 people they were seeing for the final 13 to be on the show.

My wait was around an hour, and then it was my turn - I walked into the room and was asked to wait in standby as the judges discussed the previous applicant. It was Netra herself and a very handsome, tall, well-built guy who I didn't recognize. The butterflies came flooding back into my stomach as I walked to my spot in front of the camera and the excitement was now back! I guess I was just myself again - I gave the audition my best and let them know just how I was perfect for the show with all my varied experiences. It was somewhere during the audition that I realised that I'd been in that room for much longer than most others and then I knew they liked me and I had only a few seconds to convince them that I was right, and so I calmed my nerves and went for it! When Arjun, the male judge (who I knew later was the director of the show), asked me to do a physical strength test to check if I really was as strong as they needed, that's when I knew I'd nail it; that's what I've always been the most proud of - my fitness and strength! When I was done Netra clapped and cheered and so did Arjun, he was pleased. I left with a smile and with higher hopes of making it through.

March 7, 2009 - It was holi and I was home (expecting the call). It finally came in around 4 in the evening - I was shortlisted for the 2nd audition which would decide who the final 13 all-India were. I can remember being speechless and even stammering, even wondering if it was a prank of sorts. This audition, they said, was a 3-day camp where we'd be checked by various tasks like driving, swimming, bike riding, etc. along with medical texts and fitness checks.

March 13-15, 2009 - 20 finalists met at Hotel Oritel in Andheri, Mumbai. They were from all over the country - 17 guys and 3 girls. 'This is going to be tough,' I told myself since we were already the top choices. In the 3 days that we spent getting through the various tests and tasks we also got to know each other and some even became good friends. But after all, we were there to be on the show and everyone knew this - no one lost focus. Most performed all the tasks well, except for a couple and now the anxiety was building to hear the results. Of course, we downed a few pints of beer at the end of the 3-day camp to ease our nerves, but the 17th was going to be our big day.

March 17, 2009 - After getting through the longest two days perhaps (after the wait for my SSC results), the call came in at around 5pm - I was going to CAPE TOWN in 11 days!!!!! I learned shortly that I was the only girl who got through too, doubling my excitement. The days until the 28th just flew past as each of us ran around buying clothes and preparing for our BIG TRIP to South Africa and AKSHAY KUMAR and (the guys of course couldn't stop dreaming about) the 13 haseenas :)

My story in short - Upar waala jab bhi detha hai, Chappar phar kar detha hai!!!

March 28, 2009 - 13 super-rocking stars (Ali, Alok, Arjun, Fahad, Goonj, Gurmeet, Jatin, Prashant, Sandeep, Sandhan, Sundeep, Swapnesh and JANICE) leave to Cape Town along with the 13 haseenas and THE KHILADI himself! The rest is history.

Watch the episodes online on desiforum.com