Rohit Shetty on Khatron Ke Khiladi 9: Format is same but there's more action, comedy, masala this season

Khatron Ke Khiladi Season 9 is all set to premiere tonight (5 January) and like the previous editions, Simmba director and host Rohit Shetty’s challenge remained the same: “Training those who didn’t know the ‘A’ of action”. And not just action. Known for his masala flicks, the director claimed that the show will have a mix of many different emotions this season. “Besides new stunts, there is also lot of drama this time. We have sprinkled humour, different elements of emotions just like we do in a masala film to make the show more entertaining,” said Rohit. [caption id=“attachment_5841141” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Khatron Ke Khiladi 9 promo. Colors[/caption] However, dare-devilry action and its unpredictable nature are the core qualities of the stunt-based show. “When contestants come on the show, they have seen stunts only in movies. They are actors, they are scared, they have several phobias. They have to do stunts which they have never ever dreamt about; so my work is to motivate, encourage and push them to do stunts and also ensure that they stay are safe. It requires a lot of energy for me as compared to any other show because it is not about wearing good clothes and sitting and judging. We shoot for 45 days and do at least three stunts every day. It’s quite a tedious show,” said Rohit, who has hosted four seasons till now. “This is a reality show in true sense; it’s all so real. Each day, they are challenged with a new task. If one day is good, the other day can be really bad. You just can’t predict,” he added. The other challenge for the filmmaker was the weather which at times didn’t support the team. “But it was fun doing stunts late night at -1 and -2 degree temperatures. I remember we had done the finale stunt in Cape Town while it was raining heavily,” said Rohit. The upcoming instalment, shot in Argentina, will feature a stellar line-up of celebs, including Shamita Shetty, Bigg Boss 12 contestant Sreesanth, Bigg Boss 11 finalist Vikas Gupta, TV actors Zain Imam, Jasmin Bhasin, Aly Goni, Ridhima Pandit, comedians Bharti Singh, Haarsh Limbachiyaa and singer Aditya Narayan among others. Rohit said he was surprised by the calibre of Shamita, Aditya and choreographer-actor Punit Pathak. “Every time it is felt that the previous contestants were better but then a new flavour, new experience makes the present season novel. I didn’t know the calibre of these actors when it came to stunts but they did their best and there was some surprise element for me every day. This year, when I saw the list of contestants, I had a smile on my face especially when I saw Bharti’s (Singh, stand-up comedian) name. Actually she surprised me when it came to stunts, she also got hurt during one of the tasks resulting in a ligament tear. She is the life of the show because of her humour,” said Rohit. Delving more into the selection of contestants for a wholesome entertainment package, Rohit said, “It’s important to get all the flavours in the show. Action, comedy, rona-dhana…everything’s put together. Format is the same but dosage of entertainment and emotional quotient is more this season. Approach has been little different this time and it has worked better than the previous one. The earlier format would have 13 people doing the same stunt. After you see it for the fourth time, you want to change the channel. When I came on board, we introduced chatting, contestants playing mischief thus making it more entertaining. This format has worked in the last three seasons.” Rohit further revealed that the show takes a toll as the team has to start planning six months in advance. “We start shooting in July but we start working from January. After the location is selected, the contestants go there, perform the stunts and then take  my approval. I don’t clear those which are getting repeated and seen in previous seasons. It’s a six-month tedious process before we actually start shooting. It takes a lot of hard work because there is no set format. Every day you are not on the same stage, you aren’t doing the same thing. To pull it off in 45 days, three stunts a day, which is more than 100 stunts, it’s difficult and hence the show becomes a special one,” he said. Talking about the mishaps, particularly concerning reptiles and insects, Rohit disclosed that six months advance planning is also needed for that. “We go to shoot in set places and countries where Fear Factor has been happening, for instance, Argentina, Spain, Poland, Portugal and Cape Town. There are specialised teams only for Fear Factor where animals are concerned. Snake bites are not venomous; it won’t kill you. But one has to make the candidates understand this. What you see is only stunts but the drama that happens behind, I have to handle that as well,” laughed Rohit. Tele-actor Jasmin Bhasin, confirmed, saying, “Each and every task was very difficult. I would cry and hide behind others but Rohit sir’s vibe is amazing. He knew how to deal with us, he was our biggest strength.”