Shweta, Manav in SIM card controversy

Reality shows and controversies go hand in hand. The latest is that Maanav Gohil and Shweta Kawaatra, participants in ‘Nach Baliye 2’ are garnering votes by distributing 200 SIM cards to their friends and family.

Reports state that the Thane Cyber Cell cops have questioned Shweta and Maanav over how and why they had purchased the pre-paid SIM cards from an Andheri-based mobile network dealer. Though they had paid for the cards, the report states they had them registered in the names of the dealer’s staff.

When contacted, Maanav says, “These are stories to ruin our chances.” He has refuted being interrogated by the cops or even purchasing the SIM cards. Shweta was not available for comment.

Star India’s senior creative director Shailja Kejriwal had no comments to give saying that the channel has so far not taken a stand on it.

Star One has a rule that they will not accept more than twenty messages from one cell number yet rumours of rigging votes is always heard as an event reaches the finale. Channel sources say that buying 200 SIM cards will not make the jodi a winner as it amounts to only 4000 votes, if one follows the rules. When jodis receive votes in lakhs, a mere 4000 votes will never be a deciding factor.

Also, the format of this contest is one where it is not only votes that decide the winner. The judge’s score have an important role to play. Finally, it is both the judge’s scores and votes that are taken into account when deciding who is ousted. Is it just a case of making a mountain of a molehill?