The Bigg Boss Anup Jalota – Jasleen Matharu gimmick that backfired

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By Subhash K. Jha -

October 30, 2018 - 10:59 AM IST

Of all the gimmicky ideas that Bigg Boss has come up with to attract eyeballs in the midst of the show’s rapidly dwindling TRPs, the bizarre linkup between ghazal-bhajan maestro Anup Jalota (65) and model Jasleen Mathru (early 20s) takes the bakery.

The Bigg Boss Anup Jalota – Jasleen Matharu gimmick that backfired

This planted romance was not only in bad taste but it also reeked of desperation to somehow keep the viewers interested. It is another matter that viewers were more bored than shocked to see Baby Jasleen slobbering all over Ustad Jalota.

Exactly why viewers would get all worked over a relationship between a veteran singer and a relatively unknown model is beyond any rational explanation. More bizarre is the question, why did a renowned respected veteran artiste like Jalota agree to be linked to a girl young enough to be his daughter? And that too when he is still grieving for his wife.

A friend and colleague of Jalota says, “Anup definitely didn’t need the money or the publicity. But he needed the excitement tragically missing in his life. After his wife (Medha Kapoor)’s premature death Anup has been very lonely. He has not been reaching out to his friends either. He has been locked away in his grief. This (Bigg Boss) must have been like an opportunity to break out of his self-imposed citadel of solitude.”

The world could see Jalota was not comfortable in the role of Lolita’s paternal-lover. Apparently the mortified musician protested. But to no avail. The show’s architects have their own idea of how to raise TRPs. On Bigg Boss anything goes.

This time, though, they’ve gone too far. It will take Anup Jalota a very long time to get over this embarrassment.

Also Read: Bigg Boss 12: Anup Jalota wants to do Kanyadaan for Jasleen Matharu while she pines for her ‘boyfriend’