By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 27: Reality TV star, Aniket Pakhrin Lama, on Saturday highlighted how representatives from Northeast region are under-represented in mainstream Indian reality shows, during a celebrity night hosted by the Red Flames Event in the state capital.
In an exclusive interview with The Shillong Times, Lama was very vocal about this topic.
When asked why most contestants from the Northeast are often sidelined by show makers, despite the love they receive from the audience, he explained, “Northeast people are capable of doing a lot of things and have so much potential. However, our down-to-earth nature, shyness, and soft-spokenness make us different. This limited representation may be because we do not voice out as much as others do, and the language barrier could also be a main problem. Nevertheless, equal opportunities should be rightfully delivered.”
Lama pointed out that stereotypical thoughts and limited knowledge others have on the region contribute to the neglect seen in these shows.
He noted that people in the Northeast are not usually made aware of auditions for these shows. In fact, only those who have already settled outside the Northeast or have connections actually know about them.
He added that shows should do proper marketing to make people more aware and more accessible. “A lot of TRP this year has come from the Northeast, so showmakers and content creators should give equal rights to everybody. The audience is smart now, and they will call people out,” he said.
Lama also mentioned about a content creator, whose name he did not disclose, who remarked that “the people from the Northeast are very jobless” for supporting the people they love.
His message to aspiring reality TV participants from the region was clear: “Be clever and mindful about everyone, be confident, and fight for what you want in order to shine. At the end of the day, the people of the Northeast are very unique, born competitors, and have the capability to outshine anyone if they really work for it.”