TV Show Review | Welcome: Refreshing change from the other reality shows; Rated 3.5 Stars

Guided by the philosophy of ‘Cherish what you have’, Life OK, India’s fastest growing Hindi general entertainment channel, this time round has come up with a unique show for their audiences – a new family reality show but one with a difference. It is ‘Welcome – Baazi Mehmaan Nawaazi Ki’ - a perfect invitation to bizarre lunch and dinner meetings of celebrities from the entertainment industry. The new show featured television icon Ram Kapoor who welcomed viewers to a daily dose of high voltage, fun-filled family entertainment. The show premiered on 21st January 2013  at 10.00 pm.

The show is based on the  British international series ‘Come Dine With Me’ earlier aired on BBC Entertainment but  the Indian version Welcome - Baazi Mehmaan-Nawaazi Ki differs from the former in the sense that  an additional ‘host’ factor has been introduced which was absent in the international show.

Each week five celebrities get together at the house of one member of the group. The task of that member is not to just cook a complete three-course meal but also keep the guests entertained and engaged. After dinner, the guests judge the particular host on categories of food, entertainment value and hosting skills. At the end of all sessions, the host with the maximum marks will be declared the winner. 40 celebrities are expected to participate during the span of the entire season.

The contestants in the launch episode included Sanaya Irani, Ragini Khanna, Manoj Tiwari, Nigaar Khan and VJ Andy with Sanaya hosting the evening for the rest of the team. A nervous Sanaya tries her level best to cook up an impressive menu for them but unfortunately does not live up to their expectations though she gives her best shot at it! Her guests arrive and she tries her level best to  entertain them. They are very fastidious in their likes and dislikes and react differently to the varied dishes on the menu. Though Welcome…. is not a cookery show, but more on the lines of ‘mehmaan-nawaazi’ (being a good host) which includes entertaining , it is important that  the host serves a delectable meal for the guests.

During the course of the meal a squabble ensues between two guests, namely Ragini Khanna and Nigaar Khan. They discuss relationships, the pros and cons of marriage and live in relationships which ultimately results into an argument. According to Ragini, Nigaar doesn’t pay heed to anyone’s opinions. She is too fussy and dominating, has a blocked view point and doesn’t want to come out of her comfort zone. Nigaar  also mocks Ragini about being lactose intolerant.   The bickering gets worse and VJ Andy tries to intervene but to no avail! Humourous situations and dialogues too made the episode worth watching. An emotional Manoj Tiwari who looked depressed and a little confused initially seemed slightly out of place in this reality show though he did liven up later to a session of dance and music. The show is an all-out entertainer. Audiences witnessed some crazy moments on television as the guest   celebrities who were at their natural best interacted  with each other to taunt and criticize each other openly and were totally immune to the fact that they were on camera. They openly voiced their opinions be it about the hostess’s cooking, her house or her ability to be  a good hostess to her guests and she in turn was  open to  their criticism.  But very apparent was the fact how sparks flew when they did not see eye to eye with each other. The guests were seen to  openly discuss their personal likes dislikes and lay bare their personal lives for all to see and hear. The hostess too was scrutinized for her cooking and entertaining skills. The over the top drama did tend to go overboard at times!

A total family entertainer and worth watching! A lot can  happen over food but it is way the guests are entertained and their interaction that is super entertaining about Welcome - Baazi Mehmaan-Nawaazi ki.

It is a show where audiences are taken  into the most private space of celebrities – their home. Certainly a refreshing change from the other reality shows to which audiences have been subjected to of late on the small screen. There is never a dull moment and it keeps the viewer’s entertained non-stop!

Adgully gives this ‘bold and never seen before on television show’ a rating of   3.5  out of 5 stars!