After making headlines with his stint on the reality show Alliance, Kushal Tandon could be heading to another popular reality format. We have learnt that the Barsatein – Mausam Pyaar Ka actor has been approached to join Roadies Season 21 as a gang leader, with his discussions with the makers said to be at an advanced stage.Whether Kushal is being considered as a new addition to the gang leader panel or could replace an existing face, however, remains unclear at this stage. According to reports, Karan Kundrra is also said to be replacing Prince Narula as a gang leader. If Kushal comes on board, his recent experience with reality television could bring a different dynamic to the format.His run on Alliance made him one of the show’s most discussed contestants. Kushal emerged as one of the five finalists despite facing considerable opposition inside the show, with a majority of contestants often finding themselves on the other side of the equation. Rather than changing his approach to win over the group, he largely stayed firm on his stand and played the game on his own terms. That, in turn, became one of the defining aspects of his journey and earned him support from viewers. He also formed close bonds with co-contestants Sohail Khan and Zaid Darbar, adding another layer to his otherwise combative stint.Interestingly, while Kushal was still inside Alliance, his name began making its way into another reality show. Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa, which was streaming simultaneously, saw its contestants discuss him and his personal equations. During a conversation, Lock Upp 2 contestants Shreya Kalra and Shivangi Joshi discussed Kushal and his equation with Shivangi. The fact that he was being discussed outside the show while he was still battling it out inside Alliance did not escape the actor’s notice.Reacting to the cross-show attention, Kushal later joked that his name had travelled so far across the reality-TV universe that he deserved to be paid for it. In a recent conversation with IANS, he said, “I have sent a bill to the lock-up with my GST because in Multiverse my talks were going everywhere, outside the house, inside the house and in other shows, so I have sent a bill to the lock-up. I am signed with their company, so they will give me a cheque very soon.”His reality-show run could now lead directly to a new role on Roadies, where he would move from being a contestant navigating alliances and rivalries to potentially leading a gang and mentoring contestants. If the deal comes through, it would also mark a different kind of reality-TV challenge for the actor.Kushal, meanwhile, is not limiting himself to non-fiction. He has two web projects lined up with Ekta Kapoor, keeping him occupied on the fiction front as well. With reality television opening another possible avenue, the actor appears set for a busy phase across both formats.
