Reality shows used to be all about new faces – new singers, dancers, or performers hoping to get their big break. But these days? The casting plan is more complex. Contestants are:

Influencers who want to break out of the algorithm and be seen by a pan-India audience. Entrepreneurs or professionals looking to humanise their brands or pivot to entertainment. Familiar names trying to rewrite their narrative or reintroduce themselves to Gen Z.

Use The Traitors on Prime Video as an example. Of course, the program itself is a suspense-driven reality format, but more fascinating is who opted in to it. Included are: Apoorva Mukhija, aka The Rebel Kid, launched her online presence during lockdown with impassioned commentary on digital culture. She pivoted quickly from controversy, earning an FIR over comments on India’s Got Talent, to a comeback via acting roles in Nadaaniyan and then The Traitors. On the show, a clip of her boldly unmasking Raj Kundra as a traitor went viral, boosting her visibility and reinforcing her sharp-witted public image 

One of the most surprising contestants was Raj Kundra, entrepreneur and spouse of actress Shilpa Shetty, who joined the show as its highest‑paid contestant using his “nepo‑husband” persona to draw attention. Better known for controversies away from the camera than his on-screen appearances, Raj’s entry caused a whirlwind of intrigue. Although he was among the first to be eliminated, the exposure in itself caused a media frenzy. It was a typical instance of leveraging reality television to redirect attention from scandal to on-screen presence and introduce a possibly more self-conscious, meme-accepting version of himself to the masses.