BOTTOM LINE
Bigg Boss Meets Roadies, Just Richer
PLATFORM
PRIME VIDEO
RUNTIME
65 minutes (each episode)
What Is the Show About?
Based on the popular Dutch reality show De Verraders, The Traitors is hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar. In this psychological game, 20 players are stationed at the grand Suryagarh Palace in Rajasthan, openly betraying each other to compete for a prize of ₹1 crore.
Hidden among the innocents are the traitors, who secretly ‘murder’ players. The contestant line-up includes Karan Kundrra, Anshula Kapoor, Sudhanshu Pandey, Jasmine Bhasin, Ashish Vidyarthi, Mukesh Chhabra, Raftaar, Jannat Zubair, Sahil Salathia, Uorfi Javed, Harsh Gujral, Maheep Kapoor, and Raj Kundra.
Also Read – Good Wife Review: Priyamani Saves a Passable Show
Analysis
The Traitors, in its Indian debut, could be labelled a social deduction game – a classier hybrid of Bigg Boss and Roadies, where players are housed in a royal mansion, pitted against each other, guarding their true identities and undertaking adventurous tasks that lead to eliminations every episode.
Also Read – Rana Naidu Season 2 Review: Toned Down, Watchable
Players are either innocents or traitors. The initial choice of traitors lies with the host, who grants them the power to ‘murder’ innocents. While the innocents try to identify the traitors through discussion and suspicion, the traitors do their best to blend in, cheekily playing mind games.
The show’s line-up is interesting, bringing together celebrities with contrasting personalities and skill sets, ensuring an element of drama, controversy, and unpredictable dynamics. Karan Johar, as host, does his best to make the concept accessible to Indian audiences, although his eccentric, gaudy costumes sometimes distract from the actual game.
Also Read – The Hunt Review: Compelling Investigation Drama
Thankfully, the show doesn’t waste time drawing viewers into the action. It introduces tasks and strategies almost immediately. Minutes into the premiere, even before contestants enter the palace, a shocking elimination alerts everyone that their presence shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Karan chooses three traitors among the 20, giving them a set of rules to follow. Each episode (three have been released so far) features a task: one set on a moving train, another by a lake, and one involving a player placing themselves in a wheel of truth. While not overly complex, these tasks significantly alter player dynamics.
Among all, astrologer Janvi feels like the outcast, struggling to find her footing within the show’s concept and forge bonds with others. Karan Kundrra’s lack of a clear strategy seems to cost him, while Anmol, Maheep, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Uorfi Javed remain in the forefront for various reasons.
Lakshmi Manchu, a surprise addition, has an assertive presence, though it doesn’t create much impact. Others like Mukesh Chhabra, Raftaar, Jannat Zubair, Harsh Gujral, and Sudhanshu Pandey attempt to maintain transparency about their identities, trying to protect themselves from elimination.
Anshula Kapoor does well to build her loyal coterie to safeguard her presence. Purav and Elnaaz use their authority wisely to eliminate threats one after another. Sufi Motiwala, Jasmine Bhasin, and Jannat Zubair are still waiting to become forces to reckon with.
Although the concept isn’t entirely new, it’s executed well enough to grab your attention, offering insights into the participants’ personalities. Despite being a reality show, the editing is compact, and the discussions aren’t overly dramatised — perhaps even scripted cleverly.
What contributes to the intrigue is the absolute ‘power’ in the hands of the traitors: how they get to decide who gets eliminated and smartly manoeuvre the group discussions. Unlike Bigg Boss, Karan Johar doesn’t interfere much, allowing the show to take its course while playing the cosy host.
There’s much scope for improvement in how the tasks are woven into the show. While they remain interesting as of now, they could be edgier or designed in a way that demands the participation of reluctant contestants, too. In terms of scale, there’s little to complain about. The gorgeous interiors and mysterious set designs contribute to its visual appeal.
For starters, The Traitors does enough to keep a viewer interested, if not blow them away. It offers what one expects from the reality show genre, even if it doesn’t push the bar much. The drama is slated to get pulpier in the coming episodes, enough to grab eyeballs, given the concept and the names involved.
Highlights?
Concept, with a mix of novelty and familiarity
Compact and nothing overly sensationalised
Interesting contestant line-up to draw attention
Drawbacks?
Simplistic tasks
Lack of complexity
Predictable choices with eliminations/wild card entries
Did I Enjoy It?
It’s okayish, gives you what you expect
Will You Recommend It?
If you want Bigg Boss and Roadies made on a grander budget, with less bitchiness, go for it
The Traitors OTT Series Review by M9
