Despite the short-lived nature of fame in the reality TV industry and the lack of career opportunities, there are some stars who have managed to make their mark, and stick with it. They came and they conquered. Read on to see some of India's greatest reality TV success stories.
1. Shreya Ghoshal
Ghoshal needs no introduction. This lady has won our hearts countless times, and she’s keeping at it. Not many people know that she won a season of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. Her first playback singing assignment was in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas. And since then there has been no looking back. Our favourite songs sung by her are 'Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai' and 'Yeh Ishq Hai'.
2. Arijit Singh
Arijit is a gem and B-town’s current favourite singer. Arijit first participated in Fame Gurukul in 2005 and lost the competition, after which he participated in 10 Ke 10 Le Gaye Dil and won it. Singh worked as an assistant music programmer to Pritam, Mithon Chakraborty, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Vishal-Shekhar for a while. In 2013, he broke all records and surprised the nation by giving us the most romantic song of all time – Tum Hi Ho. The rest, as they say, is history.
3. Ayushman Khurana
Khurana was the winner of Roadies 2 and went on to become a video jockey for MTV. He hosted several reality shows and was one of the anchors for IPL Season 3. In 2012, Khurana made his Bollywood debut in Vicky Donar, a small budget film that went on to become a commercial success. Khurana was appreciated for his acting and singing in the film. He hasn’t given up on TV or Bollywood and is enjoying his share of success everywhere.
4. Rannvijay Singh
Rannvijay was the winner of Roadies Season 1. He continued to host the show for the following seasons. He’s a popular face on TV and girls drool over him. Rannvijay has done a few films, but not many have worked for him. Yet this man continues to be an unmatched personality on TV. He actively acts in Punjabi films and continues to host shows on MTV.
5. Gurbani Judge
She’s more popularly known as Bani J and was a contestant in season 4 of Roadies. After the show, she became one of the most popular VJs on MTV. Bani acts in Hindi and Punjabi films along with hosting shows for MTV.
6. Mohammad Irfan
Irfan participated in three music reality shows, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Amul STAR Voice of India and Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar 2. In 2010, he sang 'Behne De' for the filmRaavan followed by 'Rehmaat' in Lamhaa. His career reached another level when he sang 'Phir Mohabbat' for Murder 2. However, his most successful year was 2014 where he sang several hits including 'Banjaara' from Ek Villain and 'Dard Dilon Ke' from The Xpose. Looks like this man is here to stay
7. Pankaj Bhadouria
Pankaj was the winner of Master Chef India season 1. After the show, she published her own recipe book and hosted a cookery show on Star Plus. She organises cooking workshops and currently hosts a cookery show that airs on Food Food.
8. Meiyang Chang
Chang participated in the third season of Indian Idol. He wasn’t among the top contenders. But, he went on to host the fourth season of the show. Since then Chang has hardly looked back. He has done supporting roles in two Bollywood filmsBadmaash Company and Detective Byomkesh Bakshi. On the side, Chang has recorded a few songs and is actively seen anchoring shows on the small screen.
9. Kapil Sharma
Sharma was the winner of the show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, and he continued to pursue comedy on TV until he started his own show Comedy Nights With Kapil. This show is one of the most widely seen shows on Indian television. Sharma has taken stand up comedy to a new level, opening doors for newcomers to enter this profession. He was ranked 33rd on the Forbes India Celebrity List 2014.
