Raghu Ram Reveals the Real Reason Behind His Departure from Roadies: Pressure to Create Drama
Raghu Ram Reveals the Real Reason Behind His Departure from Roadies: Pressure to Create Drama
Raghu Ram, the former judge of the well-known reality TV show Roadies, has shared his experiences on the show, discussing what motivated his tough demeanor and why he eventually left. His time on Roadies was characterized by intense and sometimes confrontational exchanges with contestants. However, he insists that his approach wasn’t meant to be harsh, but rather to reveal the genuine personalities of the participants.
He stated, “I’ll meet you how you meet me. If you meet us sweetly, if someone was bullied, we would treat them sweetly.” He recalled a particular contestant, Raju Babu Chaudhary, who ran a vada pav stall. This was during Roadies 9, and it was a memorable moment. Raju asked him, “Sir please smile once. I come from a poor family; if you scold me, then I’ll get scared,” which led to them simply giving him a hug.
Raghu admitted that he sometimes intensified the selection process, particularly for contestants he favored. He said, “If someone got a knuckleduster, that’s their issue, not mine… However, if I liked a contestant, I would ramp up the intensity because the viewers are also judges, and it’s up to them to decide if that person should be chosen. If I had a preference, Rajiv (Lakshman) and Rannvijay (Singha) were aware of it, and we would say, ‘Let’s go.’ We even had codes that we would jot down, like ‘I like, take it up’… It was essential for us to observe how contestants reacted, to draw out their emotions. They might cry, argue, or do something that would engage the audience and make them want to see that person.”
Raghu’s exit from Roadies stemmed from the growing interference from producers who pushed him to adopt a more dramatic persona, demanding that he scream at contestants to heighten tension. He reflected on his behavior during that time, saying, “In those times I have behaved in a manner with which people would have a problem with it. But I was doing a job, is it right, is it wrong, I don’t know. It’s the same thing, influencing, Poonam Pandey, I don’t know… If you hate me for what I did then guilty as charged. I am not apologetic to you about it.”
Raghu expressed that as one becomes more successful, there is an increasing pressure to conform to expectations. He said, “As you grow bigger, you feel the pressure to cater. I felt it, that’s why I left Roadies. Rajiv and I walked off because there was too much interference. We were told to scream at people. It’s either that or you have to dance to their tune. It’s a good problem, because you are a success, but now you are no longer you. You belong to them.”
When reflecting on the current direction of Roadies, Raghu feels that the show has shifted its focus towards crafting a specific image instead of highlighting the true personalities of the contestants. He noted, “If you look at Roadies now, it is what they wanted to make. It’s not what I wanted to make.”
Raghu’s experience on Roadies was very personal, and he acknowledges that his character on the show was a reflection of his own anger and frustration with society. He shared, “I was going through a really tough time, and the Raghu you saw on Roadies was an intense representation of my feelings towards society, God, and the sense of betrayal I felt from the world. That side of me emerged, and it resonated because I was being truthful… it wasn’t a calculated decision; there was no research suggesting it would be successful. You might not feel that connection now because it lacks that authenticity.”
Raghu also voiced his disappointment about how the show has changed, believing it has lost its genuine nature. He stated, “I don’t want to label Roadies as dishonest; I think they’re doing a commendable job and pursuing their vision, which is fine. However, I wish they would discover their unique identity because I believe that would be far more captivating than trying to replicate what they think will resonate with viewers.”
