Reality TV, a game driven by TRPs?

REEL NOT REAL: "I have been told so many times to be a little sad or be a little emotional," says Cyrus.

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New Delhi: How much of Reality Television is real? How real are those tears of disappointment and frustrated catfights? Is the popular process of voting for your favourite contestant completely credible?

Einstein rightly said ‘Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.’

"They manipulate emotions and the actor knows. The louder they are, the better it appears, even if they are hated or loved. Play up when the camera is up. I have been told so many times to be a little sad or be a little emotional. How can I be sad if it's a reality show? The paradox is unbelievable,” says Actor/ VJ, Cyrus Broacha.

When it's a game driven by TRPs, there's nothing stopping producers from manufacturing the real.

Actress and dancer Sudha Chandran's abrupt exit from the sets of Jhalak Dikh La Ja despite her popularity did raise a few eyebrows.

"I don't know how she was judged out and someone who could not dance was kept on the show. Sometimes I think if it was popularity then have a popular person dance and everyone will vote for him whether they are good or not. It is dumb,” says choreographer, Shiamak Davar.

“I think judges should be given 65 per cent voting authority. We are professionals. On television, you cannot see everything because they cut and chop and all that. We are there and we can see everything that is happening there. They should leave something to the professionals,” says Shiamak.

"Any intelligent producer will map out a story," says Albert Almeida, Executive VP - SET India.

Allegations of rigging are not new to reality shows, however it's not just the results that can be 'adjusted'.