Deepak Dhar, the producer of the Prime Video reality series Alliance, has discussed the comparisons between his program and Lock Upp 2 on Netflix. Despite the fact that both shows were premiered in the same week, Dhar thinks Alliance provides quite unique viewing experiences. He referred to Alliance as an anti-reality show, claiming that viewers are now seeking more meaningful entertainment and that the show emphasizes friendship, optimism, and sincere relationships rather than conflict and hostility.
Alliance Producer Deepak Dhar On Comparisons With Lock Upp 2
Speaking to India Today Digital, Deepak Dhar acknowledged that comparisons between Alliance and Lock Upp 2 were expected. However, he stressed that the two shows are built on entirely different concepts.
He said, “We have positive beats and, obviously, a more recent and unique vocabulary. I'm glad my friends have used what we've done over the past many, many years as a kind of playbook. However, I don't think that will endure for very long since how long will you watch toxic content? I know there is space for that. However, I believe that this is not the proper approach because the modern world is completely different.”
Hosted by Riteish Deshmukh and Farah Khan, Lock Upp 2 streams Saturday to Wednesday at 8 PM on Netflix. The prison-themed storyline traps popular inmates like Ram Kapoor, Shivangi Joshi, Harshad Chopra, Shreya Kalra, Akanksha Chamola, Akanksha Chaudhary and Yogesh Rawat and more, who must surrender secrets to survive demanding jail tasks.
How The Idea Of Alliance Was Born?
Dhar explained that the concept of Alliance came to him after years of making reality television programs such as Bigg Boss and thinking about whether people were ready for a format where people connect rather than argue.
He explained, "Starting off from the fact that we produce so much of Bigg Boss... I thought there was one direction that reality has taken, but is there time to explore a new direction? And that's when Alliance was born." He also revealed that Alliance is based on a global format originally developed in the Netherlands.
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Deepak Dhar Says He Focused On Positivity Instead Of Conflict For Alliance
According to Dhar, the creative team decided from the very beginning that the show Alliance would avoid negativity.
He said, "So, those were the first things we wrote on a whiteboard and a piece of white paper, expressing nothing harmful, negative, or highly contentious. Our journey began with the question, "Is there a reality show that is anti-reality?"
He went on to say, “People like watching bromances… People like watching relationships… There’s hope at the end of it, and there’s nothing toxic about it.” Dhar ended the interview by saying that he hoped to demonstrate that reality TV could be fun without being mean-spirited.”