This is one of the biggest news to have hit the world of entertainment this part of the Indian Ocean. A celebrity couple TV actors Manav Gohil and Shweta Kwatra had allegedly distributed 200 sim cards to their friends and acquaintances to vote for them via SMS. For the uninitiated lemme give you dope on what 'Nach Baliye 2' is all about. It's the second coming for a very popular dance based reality show on Star One channel where celebrity couples from the world of television shake their booty and other than a panel of judges dance guru Saroj Khan, beautilicious Malaika Arora Khan (More famous for her repeated wardrobe malfunction on the show) and film director Kunal Kohli (Of 'Hum Tum' and 'Fanaa' fame).
Now, the judges are a mere prop for it is the coveted public vote via SMS that decides the fate of the warring couples. It is being said that all the reality shows have some sort of rigging or the other but since Manav and Shweta (Famous for her vamp acts in many K Serials) got caught the whole world is asking for their ouster from the show. Star One reiterated in a press release that the rules and regulations set for 'Nach Baliye 2' have not been violated in any way whatsoever by any of its participants.
Sameer Nair, CEO Star Entertainment India, says, 'We have definitely encouraged all Nach Baliye participants to canvas for votes, and many of them have gone the extra mile to do so - from printing posters and distributing them, traveling to different parts of the country and canvassing, urging their family, friends and fans to vote for them in large numbers, to getting special 'vote for us' T-shirts created. The rules of 'Nach Baliye 2' state clearly that no more than 20 votes will be accepted from any one landline, cell number or email id per episode. The participants are committed to abiding by all the rules of the show, and our systems are robust enough to ensure that all set rules and regulations are followed in toto.'
'Nach Baliye 2' is one example, while there are several other highly popular reality based shows on other channels as well. And, all these shows encourage SMS voting. And considering the huge numbers, the revenue generated through SMSs is worth a fortune. Add the advertising revenue and the channels are laughing all the way to the bank. These television stars are considered to be role models to the society. But does the Big Money culture give a damn about values any more?