Neha opens up about her experience as a Gang Leader on ‘Roadies’

Bollywood actress Neha Dhupia, who has returned as a Gang Leader on the 21st edition of “Roadies,” has spoken about gender equality on the reality show, saying she has never believed in restricting people based on their gender. Talking to IANS, Neha shared that the show gives female contestants a space to share their stories, opinions and experiences without making them feel less powerful than their male counterparts.

Talking about being confident in a space which is dominated by male energy, Neha told IANS: “It’s because I, in my head, don’t have any gender biases. Like, I haven’t been raised thinking that a girl can do this and only a boy can do this. And you won’t say this here because you’re a girl.”

She added: “Or you’ll go out there and stand in the back or you’re just a boy. But at the same time, to have respect for people around me, I think the combination of that has never had any sort of...”

Neha said she has never experienced gender inequality and believes the youth-based reality show gives participants, especially girls, a stage to share their stories and opinions as equals. “I’ve never been in a situation where I feel that, you know, I’m surrounded by people where there’s any inequality of gender. And that’s been my biggest voice, even when it comes to the contestants, where I know they come with their stories and I respect that.”

“But their stories are also that the girls talk about how they’re raised differently because they’re girls and this platform actually gives them, you know, a place, a position and a point of view that they can put across, keeping aside the fact that they’re a girl or the fact that they’re in a place full of boys.”

“But it’s really something that I don’t advocate. It’s something the show doesn’t advocate. And it really makes you feel one amongst equals as opposed to less or more powerful.”

Meanwhile, social media star Abhishek Malhan’s journey to becoming a gang leader on “MTV Roadies” is a classic case of life coming full circle as he recalled how, during the days of Raghu Ram and Rajiv Lakshman’s auditions, he had decided he would “do anything in life but never Roadies.” Asked if he has ever seen an old version of Roadies, Abhishek, who will be seen serving as a “Gang Leader” in Roadies, told IANS: “Honestly, I haven’t seen Roadies and like, a complete season I’ve never watched, but back then when Raghu and Rajeev used to host those auditions, I actually realised that I’ll do anything in life but never Roadies.”

“See, that’s how life goes, and a circle completes, and today I’m the gang leader, and I used to think back then, who’s gonna go there.” This season, the show gets six Gang Leaders, including Nikhil Chinapa, Neha Dhupia, Prince Narula v/s Abhishek Malhan, Bani J and Baseer Ali.

Indo-Asian News Service