'They Started Constructing Reality', Mini Mathur On How Indian Idol Viewers Are Manipulated

Indian Television host Mini Mathur was a part of the first six seasons of Indian Idol. While she is no longer a part of the popular reality TV show, Mini Mathur has now revealed how things are spiced up for viewers in Indian Idol.

During a podcast interview with Cyrus Broacha, former Indian Idol host Mini Mathur disclosed that although she was highly committed to the show, she chose to leave after sensing that the show had lost its original essence.

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Mini Mathur said that she was even requested to create a moment between Hema Malini and Dharmendra, but, she refused.

The TV host expressed that she was emotionally invested in every contestant and maintained a friendly relationship with them even after the show was over.

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"I was truly invested in every single person. Even when the cameras stopped rolling, I didn¡¯t drop my smile. They would come to my house for dinner, I would sit with them for hours,¡± Mini was quoted as saying during the podcast, as per DNA reports.

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Speaking of why she left the show, Mini further stated, ¡°I called it quits only when I realized that now, there is no longer a real reality. I did six seasons. After that, it was just a question of making money, but by then, the husband had started making money¡­ But I really didn¡¯t appreciate that reality had become constructed.¡±

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Mini Mathur also revealed that makers once instructed that one of the contestants would have to act as if shocked on seeing their relative on the show even though they already knew they were going to attend the show.

¡°Our producers would walk up to me and say, ¡®Abhi woh Dharam ji aur Hema aa rahe hain, unka moment karna hai¡®. I said, ¡®Moment karte hain ke hota hai? Can you leave it to my experience to create something which will move them, maybe?¡¯ This is not something I¡¯m going to do, and of course, it wasn¡¯t just Idol, I did a lot of stuff after that. And it all had the same chhaapa,¡± she was quoted as saying on the podcast.

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