On Indian television, nothing sells like reality shows. They not only break the monotony of drama series, but also serve as the perfect tool to satisfy voyeurism and, for some others, the irrepressible temptation to get their 60 seconds of fame. Though various shows have various formats, some of them have had their fair share of controversies and their credibility has occasionally been questioned with allegations that they are not as real as they claim to be — they are often premeditated and well rehearsed to grab more eyeballs and, in turn, higher TRPs.

Mallika Sherawat featured in 'The Bachelorette India', 'Mere Khayalonki Malika' to find love on national television. However, once the show ended, the actress and the winner Vijay Singh went their separate ways. One of the finalists, Vinay Jhamb, also claimed that the show was scripted; (left) Sana Saeed

An industry source says, "Most reality shows are rigged and the contestants are told what to do. Production houses go to any extent to get the maximum TRPs for their shows. Sadly, there's no element of reality. Everything is stage-managed."