Raghu Ram, the creator of MTV Roadies, recently claimed that Waqar Zaka, the former host of a Pakistani reality show, rebranded his show without copyright permission.
According to a report by the Indian Express, Raghu was shown a clip from the Pakistani adaptation of Roadies and asked if he was aware of it. He explained that Waqar Zaka, the host of the show ‘Living on the Edge’, had rebranded his program as ‘Pakistani Roadies’ after the fourth season of ‘Roadies’.
Raghu recalled, “When I saw this, I realized they were co-opting the brand. I went to my boss and said, ‘Sue the pants off these guys.’ But my boss responded, ‘We can’t. We never copyrighted Roadies.’”
Taking the situation personally, Raghu considered securing the copyright himself but discovered two days later that MTV had acted swiftly to claim it. He quipped, “If they hadn’t done it, I would’ve owned the Roadies brand, and my life would’ve been entirely different!”
Raghu admitted he was frustrated by the oversight, calling it a personal affront to his work. However, he humorously added that owning the rights would have made him significantly wealthier.
Although Raghu left the show years ago, ‘MTV Roadies’ has continued its legacy and is now gearing up for its 20th season. Since its debut in 2003, the groundbreaking format has remained a cultural phenomenon, launching the careers of notable contestants like Rannvijay Singha, Ayushmann Khurrana, and Prince Narula.
On the other hand, “Living on the Edge: Sabse Himmat Wala Kon?” was Pakistan’s first dare reality show. Among the Pakistani TV shows it will be remembered for its revolutionary eye catching content that led it to be the highest rated show among house wives and the youth. It is also the most viewed reality show of Pakistan on social media, having a number of viral videos.
