Swayamwar – Season 2: Search begins for Rahul Mahajan's life partner

NDTV Imagine chooses yet another controversial celebrity for its matchmaking entertainer

After tasting success with Rakhi Ka Swayamvar, NDTV Imagine is all set to launch the second season of its matchmaking entertainer. The show, renamed as Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jaayega (RDLJ), will see the celebrity searching for his life partner.

While the show's format will be similar to its predecessor's, RDLJ will have a unique spin. Mahajan will woo 16 ladies, who will be selected through a nationwide audition. The process will start with a call for entries, followed by multi-city meetings and interviews with the shortlisted participants. While this process has started, the exact time for the show's telecast hasn't been decided yet.

Announcing the launch of Swayamvar -- Season 2, Sameer Nair, chief executive officer, NDTV Imagine says in an official communiqué, "We're really pleased with the spectacular response to Season 1 of the Swayamvar with Rakhi Sawant. What began as idle voyeurism quickly changed into genuine interest and a strong desire for Rakhi to find the right man, with whom she could share her life. There was a perceptible change in the audience's perception of Rakhi during the show."

Swayamwar – Season 2: Search begins for Rahul Mahajan's life partner

During the shoot of Rakhi Ka Swayamvar, Sawant considered herself as Imagine's daughter. This time, the channel will be home to 16 participants, who will be brought together under one roof and will be put through a series of tasks and challenges. The objective will be to uncover various facets of their personality and beliefs and ascertain their compatibility with Mahajan, thereby assisting him in arriving at his final decision. Along the way, his friends and family will help him in his quest for an ideal life partner.

Nair reveals that by taking the girls under its patronage, the channel aims to instill a sense of security in them. Discussing Mahajan's potential to grab eyeballs for the channel, he says, "Mahajan already has a connect with the audience at large, and we are confident that it will only grow as we proceed."

Rakhi Ka Swayamvar opened with a TVR of 3.5 and came to a conclusion on August 2, with aMap data showing that 15.8 million viewers watched the reality show. The show recorded a whopping TVR of 6.3 on the final day, for C&S 4+, NWE audiences.

Will the channel be able to leverage the celebrity status of yet another controversy child this time? Shailja Kejriwal, executive vice-president, Content, NDTV Imagine shares that the idea behind the show is bigger than a celebrity's brand value. "When we roped in Rakhi, everyone thought we were mad because she could hardly be perceived as marriage material. Once the show started, she came across as a regular girl who dreams of being united with her Mr. Right," she adds.

Announcing his decision to be a part of Imagine's Swayamvar, Rahul Mahajan says, "A lot has happened with me in the last three years. I truly appreciated the sensitivity and seriousness with which Imagine handled Rakhi's Swayamvar, while still maintaining the elements of entertainment for the TV audience."

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