Can a woman really do a man’s job and vice versa? Is it a man’s world or do women actually call the shots? What do men say about women behind their backs? Should a woman change the way she dresses in order to feel safe? You will get the answers sooner than you think. India’s first The series scheduled to be launched in January 2016 by
“Arré is an expression. We are looking at gender as a mirror of the society. We believe that it is a courageous concept. It is an opportunity to go out with this in a manner that would bring out role playing issues, would tap on the empathy that most of the youngsters still feel for the opposite sex,” said B Saikumar, founder of Arré , the digital media brand under UDigital.
The show is a daring social experiment that breaks down the rules of gender perception and challenges society-defined gender stereotypes. Six people will change their sexual identity. The men will become women and the women, men. Through their assignments out in the real world as well as through dynamics with each other in the house, where they will live cut off from the world for a month, the contestants will discover certain not-so-obvious truths about the opposite sex. The 6 participants will undergo intense gender training as well as emotional and physical transformations. Prosthetics, haircuts, styling and make-up; everything short of the knife. Each participant will make a personal journey on the show to better understand themselves and their relationships.
“The concept is to look at people from different stages, walks, geographies and socio-economic strata of India. We have gone through a three months process of filtering these people and through the lives of these people we hope to bring out the importance of empathising with roles. While half the time will be spent inside the house, most of the time will be spent playing the role of the opposite sex out in the open society, be it workplaces, corporate organisations, pub, call centres, pub, public transport,” he said.
Though he did not reveal the names of the participants chosen, he said they are as disparate as any six people of India.
Commenting on this partnership, Avi Armoza, Founder and CEO, Armoza Formats said, “The issues that the show deals with not only make for riveting viewing but also provoke important discussions in our society.”
While Arré is yet to announce what the series will be called in India, the team will begin shooting in 2-3 weeks at a farmhouse in Chhatarpur, Delhi.
When asked how the show would be received here, given the mindsets of the Indian society, Saikumar said, “Young people are increasingly empathetic to new challenges. I also believe that this currently is a part of public discourse and a lot of role models, celebrities would be interested in participating and also commenting on what’s happening on the show on a day to day basis.”
(Image credits: medicaldaily)