![Karan Veer Mehra: When the underdog takes centre-stage [Opinion]](https://st1.bollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/kvm-tnail.jpeg "Karan Veer Mehra: When the underdog takes centre-stage [Opinion]"){kind=small}
Over the years, I’ve vehemently vouched for stunt-based actuality exhibits – primarily as a result of I lack the bodily energy to carry out them. It turns into a responsible pleasure then to observe celebrities carry out stunts on Khatron Ke Khiladi, the Indian adaptation of Hollywood’s Fear Factor.
This 12 months, it was the 14th season and all eyes had been glued to the hyped and some over-hyped contestants on the present.
There was Karan Veer Mehra too — a lanky man, who did some nice exhibits at the beginning of his profession. Some private {and professional} setbacks and years of battle later, he lastly entered the world of actuality exhibits.
I remembered him as Vedant Raisinghania from a TV present referred to as Viruddh. Expressive eyes, nuanced appearing and an interesting display screen presence, he was a full bundle even then.
But the leisure trade just isn’t a straightforward trip for some.
The man, I later learn, lived his private hell — two damaged marriages, a life threatening accident, alcoholism, flop exhibits, no/much less work and chapter — within the span of 20 years of his profession.
Underdog tales perhaps a cliche in movies, however are normally the fan favorite too. Karan Veer Mehra overcame the percentages and stole the limelight from different contestants on Khatron Ke Khiladi 14. The underdog received the present in an virtually one-sided competitors. How he did it’s a case research in itself!
The larger check, nonetheless, awaited him on Bigg Boss 18. Karan Veer was – but once more – the least hyped contestant on the present. With no separate promo, no favours, an abysmally inactive PR workforce and an open guide of a life to be feasted upon, Karan was ready to grow to be the sufferer of narratives set in opposition to him.
Sometimes ‘nanadveer’, ‘kone kone mein baat karne waala’ or vile by the makers and typically ‘insecure’, ‘jealous’, undeserving, ‘a joke’ and ‘not an A listing TV star’ by housemates, Karan was everybody’s favorite punching bag. His energy, nonetheless, lay in coping with each curveball thrown at him with utmost grace and an unsuspecting smile — solely going to point out how life experiences have refined him as an individual.
Even at his lowest, Karan devoured virtually 50 per cent of display screen time each episode. This proportion solely elevated — upto 80-85 per cent — when he unleashed a extra confrontational facet of himself.
Karan Veer Mehra, slowly however steadily, made this season of Bigg Boss ‘The Karan Veer Mehra Show’ — I do not say it, Farah Khan and the viewers do.
An actor, who seldom performed the protagonist within the TV exhibits he did, progressively grew to become the major character of the season. His humour, laughter, loyalty, intelligence, humility, self-awareness and emotional quotient warmed up each coronary heart.
This does not imply the person is flawless. And he by no means claimed to be. His reluctance to speculate power in points or conversations he considers trivial and the knack of blurting out issues that sound like low-level manipulation or gaslighting are sometimes talked about in opposition to him. But even then, he’s on the epicentre of each mudda, each struggle, each joke and each gossip – inside and outdoors the home. His breakfast routine and morning monologues too discover display screen house each episode; so do the various types of his ‘completely satisfied completely satisfied’ dance.
At this level, one can not assist however realise how the tables have turned… The underdog of the season has risen like a phoenix from the ashes of his unfulfilling previous. He has outshone each different particular person in the home – simply by the advantage of his unmatchable wit, impeccable sense of humour and a towering persona, and with out indulging in petty ration fights or frivolous present of bodily energy.
Karan Veer Mehra got here with no large fandom to boast off, no young-hot appears to be like to make the women drool over him and no backing of a social media military… but this man is now ruling over hearts and minds of individuals and effectively, the complete web.
The neutrality of his fandom lies in the truth that he’s bashed by his personal followers if he falters at any level. The magnanimity of his persona is confirmed by how virtually the complete TV trade staunchly desires him to win.
Karan Veer Mehra has exhibited all facets of his persona on the present – wit, bromance, romance, friendships, rivalries, tears, laughter, sense of humour, setbacks, comebacks, management, and sportsmanship. He possesses a uncommon reward of the gab, wears his coronary heart on the sleeves, appears to be like and dances like a dream, strives to maintain match at 45, and by no means shies away from accepting his flaws.
But… Is all that sufficient to win the present? Well, not likely. This season has been biased in its personal murky method. Fake narratives have taken the equity away from a present that was earlier meant to showcase personalities. Bigg Boss 18 has been nothing in need of a biased showreel of ‘samikarans’.
So, will they permit an underdog to take centre-stage? Will this underdog make historical past by profitable two of the largest actuality exhibits on Indian tv within the span of 1 12 months? Maybe, perhaps not. But will they have the ability to cease him from outshining their laadlas? Nope!
On Karan Veer Mehra’s birthday at this time, as he stands on the precipice of making historical past, I want the very best man – based on the makers and the viewers – wins. As for him – whether or not or not he does, he has already received loads of love and a humongous fan military — one thing that he had at all times solely dreamt of.
The trophy is anyway secondary to what awaits Karan Veer Mehra as soon as the present is over. Because each time he steps out of the Bigg Boss 18 home, and his newly-found fandom can vouch, he may have the final snicker… And the trade will definitely not snicker at him..! IYKYK 😉
(Sonal Gera is the editorial head of Bollywoodlife.com. Her views and opinions are utterly hers, and don’t belong to the corporate.)
Stay tuned to BollywoodLife for the most recent scoops and updates from Bollywood, Hollywood, South, TV and Web-Series.
