Indian reality dramas have often been accused of being overly dramatic and scripted leading to audience’s loss of faith in them. Consider the biggies of Indian reality TV like ‘Bigg Boss’ or ‘Roadies’ which have dominated the unscripted space in India for past many years, even they are not considered as credible or entertaining now as they were once.
With Prime Video’s ‘The Traitors’ coming in as the latest entrant in the reality landscape of India which stands on quite a shaky ground, the question is will it be able to reignite a spark in a nation that’s burned out on reality TV where the bored audience is just rolling their eyes at recycled drama and predictable chaos?
First let’s know what Prime Video’s ‘The Traitors’ is all about. It is the Indian adaptation of the show that has wowed the world with 35+ adaptations and an Emmy Award. Hosted by Karan Johar, the show features popular faces like Karan Kundrra, Harsh Gujral, Ashish G Vidyarthi, Apoorva aka Rebel Kid, Uorfi Javed, Jasmine Bhasin, and more.
Set in the royal Suryagarh Palace in Rajasthan, 20 contestants will try to win ‘The Traitors’ and claim the cash prize. Among them lurk the chosen Traitors, whose mission is to eliminate the Innocents one by one under the cover of night, all while keeping their true identities hidden. The remaining players, the Innocents, must join forces to expose the Traitors.
While the premise looks interesting, the trailer did not reflect the same intrigue. Scarred by endless screamings and reality drama clichés, the audiences are fed up and not ready to take in another Bollywoodized snoozefest.
Skepticism about ‘The Traitors’ runs deep as people slam Johar’s over-the-top hosting calling it “Koffee with Karan in disguise,” and also feel that the show’s celebrity cast is more like a recycled reality TV playlist trying to grab in viewers. Some also believe that this glossy Indian remake dulls the raw, gritty edge of the international versions, with moments that look more scripted and produced than real.
And therefore, ‘The Traitors’ is nothing less than a high stakes bet by Prime Video to win back a cynical crowd. The show’s two major attractive features – a global swagger and star power – might hook drama junkies, but then again it’s up against a big wall of distrust. Will it be the genre’s savior or another overhyped flop? Only time and the audience will be the judge of that.