Krishna Shroff has recently found her footing in the reality TV space. The sister of Tiger Shroff and daughter of Jackie Shroff took her time figuring out her true calling. Certain that she did not want to enter films like the rest of her family, she discovered her passion in the world of fitness and MMA.

Talking about how her life unfolded, Krishna says, “It used to make me feel miserable. I come from a family of successful people. I didn’t want to be that privileged, spoiled kid who lives off daddy and mommy’s name, fame and money. Independence is power. I am grateful, but I knew very early on that I needed to break away and be my own person. I have a very alpha thought process and personality, so I’m not okay just being in the background or being a side character. I love having that main-character energy. That phase where I was figuring out what to do in life was hard. But I did find fitness at that time. The gym became my therapy. It gave me discipline and focus, and I channelled all that frustration in a very positive way.”

In an earlier conversation, Krishna had mentioned that she never wanted a career in films because the industry gives a lot but takes away much more. Elaborating on that thought, she says, “My father is a lot more free-spirited than my brother. Success or failure doesn’t really matter to him as much as it matters to my brother. My brother has given a lot to his craft. He works on it thoroughly. He doesn’t have a social life. Even on his days off, he is working on his body. For someone like me, I need balance in life. I’m happy to work hard, but I also need my long vacations. I want to explore cultures, etc.”

Krishna, who was last seen in the reality show Chhoriyan Chali Gaon, recently launched her own fitness brand. Reflecting on her journey into fitness, she says, “My brother got into fitness at a very young age. I got into it much later. I would always look at him doing these things, and it was very inspiring. So he has definitely been the pioneer of fitness in our family.”

After years of portraying the quintessential protagonist on television, Anita Hassanandani took a bold leap in 2013 when she embraced a grey character in Yeh Hai Mohabbatein. The move, though creatively fulfilling, wasn’t immediately welcomed by fans. What followed was a wave of social media backlash, not for her performance but for daring to trouble the beloved lead couple played by Divyanka Tripathi and Karan Patel.

The actress recalls, “I would feel affected by all the negative social media comments, especially during Yeh Hai Mohabbatein. I even questioned myself, wondering if it was the right decision. Heroine banne ke baad, suddenly villain? I wasn’t trolled for my performance but for going after Ishita (Divyanka’s character). People would comment, asking me to leave the lead couple alone. I had expected them to appreciate my performance, but that wasn’t the case, and I felt dejected initially. It was my husband Rohit (Reddy) who helped shift my perspective. He told me they were reacting that way because I was doing a great job. Since then, I have stopped letting it affect me.”

Anita continued to play negative roles on television, but she is now ready for a change. She admits, “I enjoyed playing negative characters, but I am bored now. With Chhoriyan Chali Gaon, people got to see the real me. I hope that gives them a fresh perspective and helps them rediscover what I have done in the past. TV can be repetitive. You do something once, and you keep getting the same kind of roles. I am hoping this reality show will break that pattern and give me the kind of reset I have been looking for.”

Currently, Anita is riding high on her recent victory in the reality show Chhoriyan Chali Gaon. She also took a well-deserved family break in Goa last week, unwinding after her intense stint on the show. Looking ahead, she is keen on exploring more meaningful opportunities.

“I am taking it one step at a time. Now that I am coming back with this show, it will be clear that I am open and ready to work again. The thing is, once you become a mother, people assume you have lost interest in acting or will not commit to work. That assumption is frustrating. With Chhoriyan, I feel that mindset might change, and people will start seeing me in a new light,” she concludes.

One would never expect stand-up comedian Sumukhi Suresh to sign up for a Hindi reality show. But she did. So, we caught up with her right before she left on this social experiment to know why. After The Royals, the comedian — who also wrote Pushpavalli (2017–2020) and CTRL (2024) — says she was keen to shake up her life. And Chhoriyan Chali Gaon made her “nervous.” In conversation with mid-day, Suresh talks about her daring decision, her plans to catch the heart of a gaon ka chhora, and her next script. Excerpts from the interview.

I’m doing television. Can you believe it? I’m genuinely very excited because it has been so long since I did something new and [something that makes me] nervous. Literally everyone I know has been surprised by my decision. Just a day [before coming on board], I was going through full-blown panic, thinking, what am I doing with my life? While everyone feels I am doing so many things, I don’t register it.

I said yes instantly. Because honestly, it is time. If I don’t shake up things and see what is there for me, I will get stuck. As stand-up comedians, we are so comfortable bombing and also doing well in our crowd that I don’t know — how can I even reach the next level? A lot of good comedians have done their fair share of things. Like Vir [Das] has done movies, stand-up, then there is Zakir [Khan], who has done his own TV show. Be it Tanmay [Bhat] or [Gursimran] Khamba, they’ve all explored. So, I believe it is time to see what is out there for me to understand what kind of artiste I am.

This scared me the most. Look at all the contestants, everyone is so comfortable in their skin here and my skin is the only different one here. So, I thought of trying it. Even if I fail, it’s fine. But I want to make sure that I do it well and see if my personality can be something that is interesting to watch.

So yes, I know the bathroom woes are going to be raw, and I am scared. I haven’t carried toilet paper like others — guess I will take someone’s help. I don’t think too much. I will manage with the Indian washroom or whatever there is. I have been doing lots of squats in the gym because I didn’t know anything about the show. All I know is that it is going to be physically gruelling. I have been working out, but nothing like the femme fatales like Krishna [Shroff] and Erika [Packard]. Plus, they all know acting. In front of them, I am like a two on 10, but I’ll at least look good. As for the heat, I am from Nagpur, so it’s fine. All my skincare is sorted. I am carrying my clothes, and most importantly, my coffee. That’s the one thing I am attached to and want. This is going to be intense and insane. If I don’t lean into it completely, then I am not doing it for the right reason. It is going to be like the boot camp that refreshes me. Maybe, I’ll come back as a brand new person.

Everyone’s really startled. But to be fair, some of them have said they will see it and [are sure] it will be entertaining. The comics have been wishing me luck and adding, ‘This is going to be terrible.’ I feel like Tanmay will avoid this. He avoids triggers.

I already have plans. As everybody knows, I’m as Hoemonal [her stand-up show] as a fox. And I’m not an elitist at all.

Well, I’m done with my Hoemonal tour in India. I’ve closed my India tour, but I’m doing shows in the UK and then the US. I’ve written two interesting movies. One is a revenge comedy, the other is a frothy family comedy. I’ve also written dialogues for a movie that he’s [Vikramaditya Motwane] directed already. It’s too good and fun — it is a lust comedy.

He began his career with the cult reality show Roadies, and since then, Rannvijay Singha has become synonymous with youth-based reality television. Over the years, he’s hosted several shows and acted in films and web series, but he admits that hosting remains his “bread and butter.”

Now, he steps into new territory as the host of Chhoriyan Chali Gaon, his first general entertainment channel (GEC) show. The reality series follows 12 women from urban backgrounds as they move to a remote village near Bhopal to test their survival skills and adapt to the rural lifestyle. In a conversation with mid-day, Singha discusses the concept, the rural-urban exchange the show encourages, and why acting isn’t something he chases anymore. Excerpts from an interview.

As you know, I have been on reality shows [for a long time]. The one thing I look for in a concept is, ‘Are people going to be out of their comfort zone?’ In reality shows, they are not expected to act, especially in the shows I have done earlier. There are fresh people who are not seen anywhere else. We are auditioning new people; they come on the show, and after that, they rise to fame. They are not seasoned actors. To survive without the support of family, soulmate and best friends [is the task]. All of us who live in the cities are so used to [the comforts]. We think we work hard, but we don’t realize that we have a lot of convenience that has been taken for granted. We are spoiled by multiple screens, delivery apps, and even drinking cold water is so convenient. At the same time, in a village, one probably has to get from the matka; if that is empty, then a hand pump or the village well. Whether one can do it or not is not the situation; but how they thrive through it or give up in a difficult situation is what we are seeing. It is ultimately not an artificial concept. Millions are living in a village, and some people may say that they can do it, but it does take a toll.

While it’s true that these girls will get to learn a lot, it is also an [experiment] where the village [dwellers] will also learn a lot from the interaction. Going back to the roots and culture will be interesting to see, especially the connection between urban and rural. I have a gaonwala in me and I am very proud of it. To be one with nature, live in unpolluted air and have more space to walk and play around is a good thing. Plus, no one is alone in a village, unlike in the city. Good or bad, people get involved in your lives in a village, whereas in a city, even if it is crowded, you are alone.

Yes. This is the first time I am working on [a] big reality show on a GEC. Seeing how I operate is probably why they wanted me to host it. I used to go back to my village in Jalandhar, we spent our summer vacations there. I [am] looking forward to getting into the routine myself. I feel it will be awesome.

If you see cricket back in 2003, it was different from what it is right now. When I ventured into reality shows as a contestant, we didn’t have all this. We didn’t spend three-four hours on our screen looking at content that entertains you. When we got bored, we caught up with friends. It’s not about good or bad, reality shows you what is real in the current scenario. This is how people talk, listen to, how they dress, the lingo now. This is not [about] make-believe characters or skits. From 2003 to 2025, the whole world and how it operates has changed. Back in the day we had not seen reality shows. Everyone watches it now; they know what to say and do. Earlier, they would be scared to say something on screen, wondering what their parents would say, now people are not so hesitant. They are not camera-shy. People now are more prepared on what to say, dress, and the image they wish to portray. There is a huge difference. They are confident that they can give content for the show [laughs].

I discussed a lot with the recce and Zee team, who have interacted with the people from the village. I have seen some videos, and I feel there are some really good and entertaining characters. Their children have gone to cities to study medicine, architecture, and engineering, and have come back. It’s not like they don’t have a choice, but they’ve chosen to come back, are prosperous, and help others to do well too. They have a lot of time in their hands and were excited with [this venture].

I do a bit of acting every now and then. The best part of acting today is you have TV, the 70mm screen, and OTT which offers a lot of avenues. Every year I do a couple of things. Hosting is my bread and butter, and acting is the cherry on top. It is something I do when I feel like the character resonates with me. I am not basing my survival on somebody writing, producing, directing, and casting me. I believe my control is in my art.

Rannvijay Singha is back in the spotlight, this time as the host of Chhoriyan Chali Gaon, a reality show featuring 13 female celebrities placed in a rural setting in Bhopal. He says, “This is different from any other reality show. These women are put in a real village, a world alien to them. They aren’t fighting each other — they’re fighting the situation, adjusting to an unfamiliar environment, and confronting inner challenges.”

Though he made a mark hosting shows like Roadies, Rannvijay has also dabbled in acting, appearing in films and web series. However, he remains selective about acting roles. He says, “Most of the time, I was offered the typical cool-stud guy roles, which didn’t give me any real satisfaction. I recently wrapped up an intense project and even dubbed for something exciting.”

On whether he found it frustrating to be typecast in the ‘cool dude’ mould, he laughs, “That’s just my personality! I ride bikes, play sports, and love adventure. I can’t blame someone for casting me based on who I really am. It’s not baggage — it’s just me. If a script is good, I’m happy to play that guy again. I recently played an army officer in a series, and I’d love to do more such roles. If acting were my only source of livelihood, I’d understand the pressure to accept anything. But I have other avenues of income for sustenance, so I can afford to be selective.”

He’s clear about where acting fits into his life. He says, “Acting isn’t my bread and butter. In this profession, the success of a single project can determine your future. But I have kids to raise and responsibilities to fulfill — I can’t afford to hinge everything on whether a film hits or flops. Life has to move on. I’ll continue riding bikes, taking on new adventures, or heading into jungles and villages for different experiences. I choose projects that add value to my life and the people around me. And if I have less work, that just means more time with my kids — which is equally important.”

Rannvijay admits he still has personal ambitions. “I’d love to play a truly challenging role someday. But if that doesn’t happen — if I never get that Rs 100 or Rs 500 crore film — it’s okay. For me, success isn’t defined by box-office numbers. I’ve been doing this for 22–23 years, and if I can keep carving out my own space, doing what I love, then I don’t need to chase anything else.”

His grounded outlook stems from his upbringing. He says, “My parents never cared about how big I became. As long as I’m a respectful son, they’re happy. Even if I don’t do well professionally, they just want to hear things like, ‘He looked after us, came to meet us — what a person you’ve raised!’ That’s what they value. If they had expected me to become the biggest name in the world, maybe things would’ve been different. But there’s no pressure. The only pressure I feel is to raise my children to be good human beings.”