PROFILE
Name: Rannvijay Singh Singha
Born on: 16th March, 1983
Height: 6′
Education: Went to 9 different schools. Graduated from Hansraj College, Delhi University with a Bachelor’s of Commerce.
First Job: As a construction worker, in New Jersey, US.
Shoe size: Bata 9/ UK 9/ Swiss 10
One Secret: Rannvijay is a superhero freak. He collects action figures, comic books, jeans, chappals and even superhero underwear. His favorite comicbook superhero is Wolverine – “his attitude is unbelievable. Very sardar-like”. A close second is Batman.
Tete-a-tete with your VJ
You won the first season of MTV Roadies. And since then, you’ve become a VJ and the host of Roadies. What made you audition for Roadies? And how did you become a VJ?
After graduation, I was all set to join the army in 2 months. My family has been in the Indian Army for 6 generations. My dad is a brigadier, my brother is in the navy. Then the Roadies auditions came along, and I thought about it – on one hand, I would have had a 40 year career set out before me, with no problems – housing, medical, everything would be set with the Army. And on the other hand, was MTV and the uncertainty that came along with auditioning. But my dad supported me. He didn’t want me to regret it 20 years down the line.
Funnily enough, when I auditioned, and throughout Roadies, I just knew I would make it. Plus, it was the bike that motivated me to audition in the first place. I just really wanted to win the bike! Then after the show ended, I was pretty popular?people liked me. The MTV producers asked me to try Veejaying and not join the army. The liked the way I interacted with people. I was very camera shy, but I thought it would be fun. I think that was the hand of fate. I ended up in a totally different profession.
And as a child, what did you want to do?
I wanted to be a sports star – a basketball player. I wanted to get paid playing my favorite sport.
You’ve done a few films too? Do you plan to continue making movies?
Yes, I recently did Mumbai Cutting. And I have a couple of films lined up for this year. Once I became a VJ, I knew I’d be doing movies. I’m a very filmy person, as in, I watch a lot of movies; I’m a movie buff and a film critic.
So if you had to choose between MTV glory and Bollywood fame?
Done the former, waiting for the latter!
You mentioned you’re a bike lover? When did the love start, and how many bikes do you own?
I’m crazy about bikes really. Everyone knows me as a biker. On my 1st birthday, I was given a tricycle. I rode it well! And by the time I was 8, I was teaching kids older than me how to ride cycles. By 14, I used to maro bikes from people?as in, ask them to let me ride. Then my dad bought me a bike – a Hero Honda Splendor. It’s a Sports bike. I have a few other bikes – a Suzuki GSX 600, a Kawasaki Ninja, a 225 CC modified Hero Honda Karisma which I won on Roadies, a 50 CC Pocket bike and a Royal Enfield Bullet.
Do you play any sports apart from basketball? What do you do to maintain your body?
Yes, I’m a complete sportsman. I play all kinds of sports and I love outdoor activities. I don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs. My adrenaline rush is being in the outdoors and doing something adventurous. That’s the high that comes with Roadies – I try all the tasks myself. I play a lot of basketball. I like playing soccer in the rain, Table Tennis in the office. And I go to the gym to run once in a while, or when I’m doing Roadies.
Do you believe in God?
100%. I’m not religious but I believe I have a one to one connection with God. I imagine talking to someone. I love Gurunanak. I love any religious place. I find them very peaceful.
Who matters to you the most in your life?
My younger brother. My mum and my dad. And my friends too.
The perfect girl to you is someone who?.
Well, beautiful or not, that girl needs to be confident and carry herself confidently. However beautiful she is, if she’s dumb, she’s dumb. If she’s not stylish, it’s okay. But don’t wear things you end up looking silly in. That’s what wannabes do. She should have a firm head over her shoulders. And needs to be spontaneous, because I am, I’m very adventurous.
Aids awareness is one of causes you support right?
Yes. But I also am involved with Fight Back, which is a network 18 initiative to fight against female oppression in every form. Raghu is also involved now.
VJ QUICKIE
Siblings: One younger brother, Harmanjeet Singh Singha
Food: All kinds. His mum’s Punjabi khana, Mexican, Italian, Thai, Chinese and most recently Japanese. He love eating, loves junk food too, especially Mc Donalds.
Movies: Men of Honor, 300, all superhero movies, Sholay, Rang De Basanti, Andaaz Apna Apna.
Music: Femme Fatal. Usher, Justin, Timbaland, Punjabi MC, Vishal -Shekhar, A.R. Rahman.
Bollywood Movie Star: Aamir Khan, Salman Khan. Hrithik Roshan, Amitabh Bachchan. Kajol, Rani Mukherjee, Vidya Balan
Hollywood Movie Star: Johnny Depp, Leonardo deCaprio, Heath Ledger, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey, Hugh Jackman.
Cartoons: Bart Simpson.
Books: All comics: the Gotham comics, X Men , The Hulk etc. And otherwise, he enjoys reading autobiographies.
Author: John Grisham, Paulo Coelho.
Holiday destination: Australia and Brazil for the outdoor activities. But India is the best country because “your get everything? plains, backwaters, beaches, mountains, so many monuments and temples, architecture, traditions.”
TV shows: Entourage, 24, Sex and City – I liked it. Desperate housewives (“though it’s very melodramatic”)? Heroes, Survivor, Roadies, Fear Factor, The Apprentcie.
Cooks: Egg Bhurji, Rajma, Omlet?”I can make enough for myself to survive on”
India youth finally had seen the 
channel MTV India. Raghu Ram and Rajiv Laxman are the men behind Roadies and the show is hosted by Rannvijay, who happens to be the winner of MTV Roadies 1.0. Unlike contestants chasing for money and fame with rendition of songs or twisting pelvis, MTV Roadies is an adventure-reality show which aims to test not only the courage but also spirit of young contestants, as they tour the country on bikes (a pre-decided route) facing all kinds of climatic vagaries and other challenges.
It is here that the contestant’s attitude, tolerance and then the patience levels will be tested. MTV Roadies 6.0 saw as many as 20 roadies vying to become the best Roadie; a vote-out at end of every episode, reducing the number of roadies by one every week. From Season 4 the fever picked up well and conspiracy theory clicked very well so did the mind games. The kind of razzmatazz that MTV Roadie 5.0 fetched, Raghu Ram must have sought some better trade tips.
