Dressed in a white suit, leaning against a background of red roses, host-director Ohmkar gives away the twist in his new TV show iShmart Jodi , which premièred on February 23. The show on StarMaa brings 12 celebrity couples together on weekends. “It is a reality show with a difference,” smiles Ohmkar.
His earlier game show Sixth Sense, two years ago on StarMaa, preceded the channel’s plans to launch Bigg Boss. Now after the completion of its Big Boss’s third season, Ohmkar is back with iShmart Jodi. He initially planned to do a dance show but instead created this series on couples on the request of StarMaa. In this series, 12 real celebrity jodis test the strength of their love, showing that love needs no recipe. “Only a new pattern will bring in younger audiences. I took the channel’s concept on couples but planned the series in my own unique way,” says Ohmkar, adding Prabhakar P, choreographers Yashwanth and Sandeep, Ashmita Asrani, Siva Jyothi, Indraneel and Meghna are some of the show’s participants.
Celebrities from different fields — acting, dancing and choreography — bring their spouses to the show. “We never see the spouses of celebrities. It is an opportunity to meet the person behind the star,” he says. The first ‘wedding’ round recreates the couples’ wedding day: they arrive in a grand set, wearing their wedding attire. “Couples married for three decades to those married for just three months will all arrive in the clothes they wore on their wedding day. That episode will be filled with special memories,” he explains, adding how the team took care to not make it look like a wedding video. “The themes have to be presented in an entertaining way. There is romance but we ensure it doesn’t look indecent, so that the family audience also watches our show comfortably.”
Unlike other reality shows, where judges score the talent and pass comments (some of them inevitably nasty), iShmart… will not have any judges. “Members will be tested by the co-participants. A choreographer is an expert in the dancing round but what happens if his wife is not able to match his steps? How do partners handle the situation when their spouses are not strong in competitive rounds,” says Ohmkar pointing out this will be a test of companionship. “Emotions are spontaneous, not scripted.”
Constantly oscillating between films and television, Ohmkar says he finds TV more challenging. “Movies are a different ball game and give you the luxury of time. In movies, I am only a director and have a team of people working with me in other fields. But here I am a one-man army, hosting, writing, producing and directing; I also have to create a unique look for the show.”
Commenting on changing viewer habits, he jokes that the mobile phone is his main competitor. “People watch shows on phone at their own time, place and pace. Even television audiences can switch channels within a second if a show doesn’t interest them,” he says, adding “Even with web series and reality shows, the first few minutes and novel content are important to hold the attention of viewers.”
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