The much-awaited premiere of 'Bigg Boss 15' took off on Saturday night with the usual pomp and pranks after the show's host, Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, entered the jungle-themed house doing a jig to the song 'Jungle Hai Aadhi Raat Hai'.
The high point of the premiere was the arrival of Bollywood star Ranveer Singh. Salman greeted his guest in his inimitable style with the words: "Inki pata nahi kya aadat hai, har jagah ghus jaate hain (I can't understand his bad habit. He gets in everywhere)." Ranveer will soon be seen on COLORS, the channel airing 'Bigg Boss 15', hosting his own movie-based reality show, 'The Big Picture'.
After his inaugural dance, Salman started introducing the contestants. The first to be welcomed into the house was TV actor and reality show host Jay Bhanushali, who was taken on a guided tour around his home for the coming weeks.
Bhanushali leaves behind his wife Mahhi Vij and daughter Tara to join 14 other contestants, who are all geared up for what promises to be an entertaining race to the top.
The other contestants are: Karan Kundrra of 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai'; 'Swarangini' actress Tejasswini Prakash; 'Splitsvilla' veteran Simba Nagpal; former journalist and actress Donal Bisht; Umar Riaz, brother of 'Bigg Boss 13' first runner-up Asim Riaz; model and actor Sahil Shroff; Punjabi singer Afsana Khan of 'Titliaan Warga' fame; 'Bigg Boss OTT' second runner-up and headline grabber Shamita Shetty; Amity Law School graduate Pratik Sehajpal, who was last seen in 'Bigg Boss OTT' and the dating reality show, eLove School'; singer Akasa Singh; choreographer and 'BIgg Boss OTT' first runner-up Nishant Bhat; Miesha Iyer from 'Splitsvilla 12'; TV actress Vidhi Pandya aka Imli of 'Udaan'; and former Jet Airways crew member-turned-actor and model Ieshaan Sehgaal.
The premiere saw Umar getting into a fight with Eishaan in the 'Sultaani Akhaada' for the survival kit from Donal, who appeared in a shimmery red outfit. Akasa shook a leg with Salman. Karan got called both a "lover boy" and the "bad boy of television" by Salman. Will Akasa and Karan bond well as predicted by Salman? That only the days ahead will tell, but Karan made his intentions clear when he said: "Mingle karna toh bahut zaruri hai, dil se dil milne chahiye (It is so important to mingle because hearts need to meet)."
Sehgaal, who described himself as an "opinionated" person, livened up the proceedings with his stinging rebuke: "Umar Riaz, aapki kismat achhi hai jo aapne Bigg Boss ke ghar mein mujhe munh par maara. Yehi agar bahar maara hota toh, doctor aap hain, lekin aapka ilaaj main kar raha hota (Umar Riaz, it is your good luck you hit me in the Bigg Boss house. If you had done it outside, you may be a doctor, but I would be the one giving you the treatment)."
Umar Riaz clearly got more attention than the others also because of his brother Asim, who appeared on the show, spoke about his love for Salman Khan, and dedicated a rap number to the superstar. With his trademark impish smile, Salman asked him to explain the lyrics to him.
If the premiere was any indication of the things to come, 'Bigg Boss 15' promises to deliver its usual dose of scripted tension, slanging matches and love tangles peppered with humour of the Salman Khan kind. All that it requires from you is the suspension of disbelief and the ability to sit back and enjoy.