Friday, February 27, 2009

EXCLUSIVE PICTURES OF RAGHU RAM




THE PERSON BEHIND ROADIES

Raghu Ram is the senior supervising producer at MTV India and the executive producer of the show MTV Roadies. He co-judges the auditions for the MTV Roadies with MTV VJ Rajiv Laxman. He is known for his crude remarks and sharp observation tactics. He is also well known to be ruthless and impatient with the contestants when he takes the auditions. He was given the nickname of jerky idiot for his unique behaviour. "Roadies has travel, adventure, drama, touch of voyeurism..." said Raghu Ram, when asked about the show.[1] However, during the show "Behind the scenes", we get to see a different rather softer side of him. In Roadies 6.0, on the first episode actual "Hell Down Under" (after auditions), Raghu has announced it's "Retirement time" for him.

In an interview to the Hindustan Times, Ram stated that he was born in Machilipatnam present in Andhra Pradesh, brought up in Delhi. He studied at Woodstock School, Mussoorie, completing his graduation, and started in MTV roadies, UK.[2][3] Raghu's idea of MTV Roadies was accepted as an experimental project by MTV, India.

As of March 2008, Ram continues to act as the senior supervising producer and co-creative head at MTV India. Ram started work at MTV India supervising shows like MTV Love Line with VJ's Malaika Arora Khan and Cyrus Broacha and also lead MTV Select and the first few seasons of MTV Super Select with VJ Nikhil Chinapa. He has also lent his hand to various shows at MTV, sometimes being uncredited.

Raghu Ram was given his first solo project at MTV, in the year 2000. The show was tentatively titled MTV: Find The Road. The show, originally, was to revolve around contestants traveling around the country on their motorcycles, using clues and hints provided on the show. The concept of clues, however, was eventually replaced with tasks and challenges. The shows format initially faced severe criticism from the MTV heads due to its vulgar content, audience value and also it's name, but was later given the green light as an "experimental show that could go off-air anytime". The name of the show was later changed to MTV Roadies. It has remained the highest rated MTV show for 3 consecutive years.

Past winners include Rannvijay, who was one of the winners of first season of Roadies, and he currently works as a VJ at MTV. The second winner was Ayushman, who currently hosts a show called Wassup MTV, along with Bani J, who was a runner up of the fourth season. The third season winner was Parul, and Anthony won the fourth season. The fifth season was won by Ashutosh Kaushik.

Raghu Ram currently resides in Mumbai, and owns a house in Andheri. He also holds 1% of the total MTV India shares in the form of music and television copyrights, like many of the other producers working on the show for the channel. He is currently a full time part of the MTV senior crew. Rumored to be a clubbing addict, he is often spotted at various clubs and parties all around the city. After making guest appearances in MTV Roadies 5.0, Raghu made an appearance in MTV's reality show MTV Splitsvilla on June 28, 2008. He is a staunch critic of Hinduism and has declared that he will do everything to remove Hinduism from India.

Raghu Ram is divorced once and had earlier been in live-in relationship with one of his secretaries Nisha. He recently got married to Sugandha Garg (who played "Shaleen" in the movie "Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na"). He has been criticized by many women rights groups for divorcing his first wife on grounds of her religiosity. According to reports, Raghu Ram was unhappy with the Hindu way of life of his first wife and hence he divorced her and chose Nisha, a Catholic. Finally, he agreed to marry Sugandha.

Tete-a-tete with your VJ


You won the first season of MTV Roadies. And since then, you've become a VJ and the host of Roadies. What made you audition for Roadies? And how did you become a VJ?


After graduation, I was all set to join the army in 2 months. My family has been in the Indian Army for 6 generations. My dad is a brigadier, my brother is in the navy. Then the Roadies auditions came along, and I thought about it - on one hand, I would have had a 40 year career set out before me, with no problems - housing, medical, everything would be set with the Army. And on the other hand, was MTV and the uncertainty that came along with auditioning. But my dad supported me. He didn't want me to regret it 20 years down the line.

Funnily enough, when I auditioned, and throughout Roadies, I just knew I would make it. Plus, it was the bike that motivated me to audition in the first place. I just really wanted to win the bike! Then after the show ended, I was pretty popular…people liked me. The MTV producers asked me to try Veejaying and not join the army. The liked the way I interacted with people. I was very camera shy, but I thought it would be fun. I think that was the hand of fate. I ended up in a totally different profession.

And as a child, what did you want to do?

I wanted to be a sports star - a basketball player. I wanted to get paid playing my favorite sport.

You've done a few films too? Do you plan to continue making movies?

Yes, I recently did Mumbai Cutting. And I have a couple of films lined up for this year. Once I became a VJ, I knew I'd be doing movies. I'm a very filmy person, as in, I watch a lot of movies; I'm a movie buff and a film critic.

So if you had to choose between MTV glory and Bollywood fame?


Done the former, waiting for the latter!

You mentioned you're a bike lover? When did the love start, and how many bikes do you own?

I'm crazy about bikes really. Everyone knows me as a biker. On my 1st birthday, I was given a tricycle. I rode it well! And by the time I was 8, I was teaching kids older than me how to ride cycles. By 14, I used to maro bikes from people…as in, ask them to let me ride. Then my dad bought me a bike - a Hero Honda Splendor. It's a Sports bike. I have a few other bikes - a Suzuki GSX 600, a Kawasaki Ninja, a 225 CC modified Hero Honda Karisma which I won on Roadies, a 50 CC Pocket bike and a Royal Enfield Bullet.

Do you play any sports apart from basketball? What do you do to maintain your body?

Yes, I'm a complete sportsman. I play all kinds of sports and I love outdoor activities. I don't smoke, I don't do drugs. My adrenaline rush is being in the outdoors and doing something adventurous. That's the high that comes with Roadies - I try all the tasks myself. I play a lot of basketball. I like playing soccer in the rain, Table Tennis in the office. And I go to the gym to run once in a while, or when I'm doing Roadies.

Do you believe in God?

100%. I'm not religious but I believe I have a one to one connection with God. I imagine talking to someone. I love Gurunanak. I love any religious place. I find them very peaceful.

Who matters to you the most in your life?


My younger brother. My mum and my dad. And my friends too.

The perfect girl to you is someone who….

Well, beautiful or not, that girl needs to be confident and carry herself confidently. However beautiful she is, if she's dumb, she's dumb. If she's not stylish, it's okay. But don't wear things you end up looking silly in. That's what wannabes do. She should have a firm head over her shoulders. And needs to be spontaneous, because I am, I'm very adventurous.

Aids awareness is one of causes you support right?


Yes. But I also am involved with Fight Back, which is a network 18 initiative to fight against female oppression in every form. Raghu is also involved now.


VJ QUICKIE


Siblings: One younger brother, Harmanjeet Singh Singha

Food: All kinds. His mum's Punjabi khana, Mexican, Italian, Thai, Chinese and most recently Japanese. He love eating, loves junk food too, especially Mc Donalds.

Movies: Men of Honor, 300, all superhero movies, Sholay, Rang De Basanti, Andaaz Apna Apna.

Music:
Femme Fatal. Usher, Justin, Timbaland, Punjabi MC, Vishal -Shekhar, A.R. Rahman.

Bollywood Movie Star:
Aamir Khan, Salman Khan. Hrithik Roshan, Amitabh Bachchan. Kajol, Rani Mukherjee, Vidya Balan

Hollywood Movie Star: Johnny Depp, Leonardo deCaprio, Heath Ledger, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey, Hugh Jackman.

Cartoons:
Bart Simpson.

Books: All comics: the Gotham comics, X Men , The Hulk etc. And otherwise, he enjoys reading autobiographies.

Author: John Grisham, Paulo Coelho.

Holiday destination: Australia and Brazil for the outdoor activities. But India is the best country because "your get everything… plains, backwaters, beaches, mountains, so many monuments and temples, architecture, traditions."

TV shows: Entourage, 24, Sex and City - I liked it. Desperate housewives ("though it's very melodramatic")… Heroes, Survivor, Roadies, Fear Factor, The Apprentcie.

Cooks: Egg Bhurji, Rajma, Omlet…"I can make enough for myself to survive on"

Roadies' Host- RANVIJAY SINGH SINGHA



RANVIJAY SINGH SINGHA


When this 25-year-old biker took part in the first season of the adventure reality show, MTV Roadies, in 2003, he was just interested in winning a Hero Honda Karizma. But Ranvijay Singh Singha ended up winning the show and the producers offered him a job with the channel.


“They thought I came across as camera-friendly and natural,” he says. “Talking is my forte. I love doing it and then getting paid for it. Every day is different.”

Besides hosting Roadies, Singha has been a VJ and presenter, and has also dabbled in movies and events. “I love Roadies as I’m big on adventure activities. As the host, I get to try out all the tasks and do some crazy stunts.” On the show, Singha speaks mostly in Hindi, which he thinks makes him stands out.

“Very few VJs speak in Hindi. I do, because I can reach a wider audience and more people can relate to me.” The budding actor was recently in Punjab to shoot for the film, London Dreams, by Vipul Shah, starring Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan.

Originally from Jalandhar, Singha is from a family of army men. After completing his B.Com from Delhi’s Hansraj College, he too was planning to join the army, like the preceding five generations, until Roadies happened. “There was no civilian in the family until I decided to break out. I didn’t have any contacts in the industry.”

Singha’s life is now an exhilarating whirlwind of activity which includes extensive travel and little sleep. Any free time is spent playing sports, video games or riding one of his five motorbikes.

He recommends VJing to other Punjabis: “If you have the attitude and energy to go on and on, you’ll enjoy it. Punjabis would be great at such jobs. They have the energy, endurance and love to express themselves.” Most importantly, he says, “Be yourself and be natural, Don’t try too hard.”

HERE'S WHAT WIKIPEDIA SAYS ABOUT HIM

Rannvijay Singh Singha is the winner of the first season of MTV Roadies and is currently a VJ on MTV India. He was born on 16th March, 1983. He attended 9 different schools & graduated from Hansraj College, Delhi University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. His first job was as a construction worker, in New Jersey, USA. Since winning the first season of MTV Roadies, he has proceeded to host all the following seasons of Roadies. Currently, he is also hosting a reality show MTV Splitsvilla. He has hosted the MTV Lycra Style Awards 2007 and has also made appearances in the breakfast session of MTV Miss Scooty Pep Teen Diva.

MTV Hero Honda Roadies a Rip-Off??


MTV Hero Honda Roadies is the longest running reality television series in India and is currently in its sixth season....

The show was created by Raghu Ram and is hosted by Rannvijay. "Roadies has travel, adventure, drama, touch of voyeurism..." said Raghu Ram, when asked about the show.The maximum prize for winning the show is Rs 500,000.

And so we all had thought it was the first genuinely created reality show in India not a ripoff like other reality shows...

If You think so then thats probably wrong....Because sadly its another of one those "inspired" reality show...



And the show from which Our Longest Running Reality show in India is inspired is.....
MTV Road Rules


MTV Road Rules,MTV's second reality show,debuted on July 19, 1995 and has completed 15 seasons.The ground-breaking series was a pioneer in travel/adventure/reward reality television...

The start of it all

MTV Roadies is a popular reality television show which airs on MTV India. The show was created by Raghu Ram and is hosted by Rannvijay. When asked about the show, Raghu said, "Roadies has travel, adventure, drama, touch of voyeurism..

Auditions are held in various major cities in India. People who turn up for the audition are made to undergo a group discussion, following which, selected candidates are chosen for personal interview conducted by the twins Raghu Ram and Rajiv Laxman. The interview round is deliberately acrimonious to test the participant's attitude, tolerance and patience levels. In the first two seasons, 7 Roadies were selected. Since then, this number has been increased to 13. There is no limit as to how many times a person can audition. For Season Six, 20 roadies were selected from the Interviews.

The selected Roadies are provided with Hero Honda Karizma bikes to travel on a pre-decided route. Each episode features a vote-out, at the end in which the Roadies eliminate one of their fellow Roadies by an anonymous vote, thereby decreasing the number of Roadies carrying on with the journey.

Each episode consists of number of tasks or challenges which they have to perform. These tasks can be either "Money tasks" or "Immunity tasks". In the "Money tasks", the Roadies add cash to their account on successful completion of these tasks while in "Immunity tasks", the team which wins gets Immunity. The team which attains Immunity becomes safe from vote-out i.e its members cannot be voted-out in that particular episode.

The above mentioned tasks are either team-based (i.e. performed between two or more teams) or individual-based (i.e. performed one-on-one). At the end of scheduled journey, the last Roadie who survives till the end is declared the winner and walks away with the total cash accumulated by performing the money tasks. The fifth season was the first time when an Advantage task was introduced. The winner(s) of an Advantage task get(s) some advantage in the vote out, which may include multiple votes or being the only one(s) to vote in the vote-out.

The Indian version of the show is based on the original MTV reality show Road Rules which started in the year 1995.

Season 1 - Rannvijay Singh from Delhi
Season 2 - Ayushmann Khuranna from Chandigarh
Season 3 - Parul Shahi from Delhi
Season 4 - Anthony Yeh from Kolkata
Season 5 - Ashutosh Kaushik from Saharanpur
Season 6 - Aphrodisia from MTV Orkut Community