It was reported that Choreographer Terence Lewis, who has judged several reality shows, said contestants often invest a lot of money to win the series as securing maximum votes is nothing but a "big game." However the choreographer claims he was misquoted and took to social media to hit back at tabloids.
Terence said when it comes to voting, people are very judgemental.
"It also depends on which state a contestant comes from, then how much political power one has to get more votes. it's all a big game there. You've to invest a lot to win if you really want to win because it's based on voting," the choreographer told reporters here.
Terence said there are different ways to vote, so contestants try everything to win and the process is similar to what happens in politics.
"They (the contestants) do invest, because they have to win. It's very simple. They get public to call, to vote. Channels don't have a problem because what do they have to do with who's winning, they want the show to be good and the audience to watch.
"They aren't concerned with all these things. It's the contestants, sometimes we know who wants to win. They have their ways. Like the contestants who play in politics, they will invest money, simple," he added.
He was speaking at a special screening of Zee5's upcoming web series "Love, Sleep, Repeat".
Terence said he has always made sure to praise deserving contestants so that people take note of them and vote and it doesn't matter if they don't win.
"Raghav (Juyal, of 'Dance India Dance' fame) is a good example. He didn't win but he is doing really good work in the industry," he added.
However, Terence took to his instagram to justify that he as being miss quote by media outlets. He posted a screen grab of the news stories and posted it on his instaram saying, "Woke up to a barrage of news channel n online platforms, plastering this in bold! The Truth/ Reality is stranger than ‘fiction’! 🧐 Pun intended ! Journalism today is all about sensationalism! Mercifully this was a video interview so they could not distort my quote but cunningly took the question that they asked and used it as the headliner!"
He further clarified,"When I told them it could be possible but I haven’t been part of that circus, they rephrased asking “do you think it happens?” to which I said there could be a possibility! Ofcourse those parts were eliminated and emphasis was given to their question which has now turned out to be my statement! Left to people’s imagination when a statement isn’t full quoted or incomplete, can lead to assumptions that the contestants are either paying the TV channel or judges and Ofcourse that’s what they want you to imagine!
"Now that’s a Machiavellian Manoeuvre! Thank God they had the decency to print the full article and clarify ! 🤨 #halftruths #gossipjournalism Song on my mind : Bachke rehna re baba , Bachke rehna re! What else to do but laugh at this circus !"
Inputs from PTI
