Big Brother in the house

While waiting for his films and series to release, Tanuj Virwani on hosting his first reality show, Splitsvilla

Life has come “a full donut,” says Tanuj Virwani as he gears up to host the new season of Splitsvilla with Sunny Leone, his co-star of his last release, One Night Stand (2016). “Sunny is exactly the way she was—warm, fun-loving, and with that killer sense of humour, which most people don’t know about. [The idea] made me nervous. If anything makes me nervous, it means it is a good challenge, and I should just take it up,” says the actor, adding that it was the right time while waiting for the bank of films and series he had shot previously to release.

When he was in his 20s, he was never associated with MTV, but now that he has, Virwani says he “feels like an uncle in the room”. Tell him that he could easily pass off as a 20-something, and the actor laughs out loud in delight. He says, “While that’s a good ego boost, I believe now I am in a position to probably guide [the contestants] and be a bit of a big brother to them.” Splistvilla would be Virwani’s first reality show, and he is enjoying the youthful vibe of it. When we remind him that it has also received a lot of flak for ugly fights and unnecessary drama, he acknowledges the show’s tendency to breed infighting among young contestants. “It is also a show that tests your character more than anything else. Are you going to stoop to achieve your goal, or will you maintain your authenticity and try to get there the right way? I feel it’s a very steep learning curve for these boys and girls who actually make it through all the auditions and finally get onto the show,” he defends, adding that there are viewers for such shows mainly because “society is very voyeuristic in nature. That is why reality shows are booming everywhere.” 

“However, I look at it more like a human experiment. I am interested in dissecting the show to see how people from different walks of life, mindsets, and vocabulary put themselves through the show when they have no one to count on,” shares Virwani, adding that while he would enjoy watching the process, being part of such a show as a contestant is not his cup of tea. “That is not because I look down on such shows, but because I am a private person. I feel the nature of the beast, the way these reality shows function, is that you have to put yourself out there because that’s the thing that grabs eyeballs. I don’t think I’m the right fit.”

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