MTV Roadies

The Roadies format was created by Nikhil J Alva, founder of Miditech Studios.[1][2] Miditech Studios produced the first 2 seasons of the Roadies series. In those early days, the format creator, Nikhil J Alva, had conceptualized the format as one that would unite the youth of India through social work and random acts of kindness as the contestants travelled across India.

Seeing its popularity soar, the series was taken over by MTV from Miditech, to be produced in-house after the second season. Raghu Ram and Rajiv Ram, former Miditech Studio employees, were tasked with producing and anchoring the show for MTV. Under Raghu and Rajiv's guidance, the show took a dramatic turn away from its feel-good-social-flavor, to a more crass, and in-your-face tone.[1] Raghu and Rajiv left the show in 2014.[3] They told the media that they had done enough to popularise the show and wanted to give opportunities to the new generation to carry the show forward. With a 17-year history, it is one of India's longest running reality shows.[4]

During the course of the journey there are vote outs, vote ins, eliminations and game changing twists. Eventually the contestant who manages to survive vote outs and succeed in the finale is chosen as the winner. The show has enjoyed relative success among the youth.

The first two seasons had a cap on the daily budget allocated to the contestants. During the show, apart from learning about India's diversity, they were also given tasks to get to know each other. The tasks became more aggressive with over-the-top-reality sequences, from the third season onwards, when it was taken over from Miditech Studios by MTV.

Since the fourth season, Battleground (2006-2009, 2014–present) later known as Graveyard (2010-2011, 2013-2014) the show introduced the choice wild cards.

In the fifth season, The "Advantage task" was introduced. The winner of the task would get an advantage in the vote out, which could be multiple votes or being the only one(s) to vote. That was the first time the show went international.[5]

In the tenth season, a team of former contestants mentored by Raghu Ram were pitted against a team of fresh contestants mentored by Rannvijay Singha, who was the winner of the first version of the contest.[6]

In the twelfth season, during the auditions, "Gang Leaders" were introduced. Four Gang Leaders had to hit a buzzer to express their interest in a contestant. Contestants in return had the option to choose which gang they would like to be a part of.[7]

In the fourteenth season, bikes, which had been a common aspect of the show, were discontinued and the makers opted for a car. That continued into the fifteenth season as well and so on.[6]

Season nineteen was introduced with a new concept of debut roadies and ex-roadies competing against each other for the title. Bikes, which had been a common aspect of the earlier seasons, were introduced again. That was the first season without the presence of Rannvijay Singha.

Across all seasons, vote outs, vote ins, immunity, eliminations, captaincy, twists introduced by the makers, and special appearances by guests like actors, sportspersons and musicians have been regular features of the show.[8][6]