After having several Bollywood celebrities and even the Prime Minister of India on the show, Bear Grylls finally teamed up with Bollywood's Simmba Ranveer Singh, for an exciting adventure in the dense forests of Serbia. Ranveer Vs Wild With Bear Grylls premiered on Netflix on 8 July, but with a little twist this time — the audience can make a choice as to what Ranveer does in the show. Ranveer's journey in the wild, begins with a quest to find a rare flower for his wife, actor Deepika Padukone, that never dies — just like his love for her. Ranveer is seen in an adventurous avatar, as he sets on his journey, without making a single "bear joke" in the show, which one can appreciate looking at the history of it.
Here are my honest thoughts about Ranveer Vs Wild With Bear Grylls:
1. It’s a Rom-Com Starring Ranveer With Bear Grylls
More than anything, I truly enjoyed the chemistry between Ranveer and Bear Grylls in the show. Right from the beginning, when Ranveer first meets Grylls in the helicopter, the look in his eyes for his "imported Tarzan" is almost the same as someone looking at their first paycheck. I'm suprised how Grylls didn't get creeped out. But, the bromance between the two is literally the highlight of the show. The duo also cuddle together in a bed of dried leaves, before they make unnecessary 'chaddi jokes' and light Ranveer's underwear on fire, to use it as a torch. (I know how strange this sounds). I mean, they could've literally used Ranveer's handkerchief before making him cross the cave, going commando!
2. Serbica Ramonda Should Get Its Bollywood Debut
Serbica Ramona — the star of the show, a rare Serbian flower, which has the characteristics to withstand the harshest of weather conditions and never dies, should definitely get its own Bollywood debut. After all, it literally contributed to an hour long adventure show starring Ranveer Singh with Bear Grylls. And also made him climb mountains and eat boar testicles, only to retrieve it for Deepika! The flower deserves some respect.
3. The Interactive Special Is a Grown-up Version of 'Dora the Explorer'
Needless to say, the interactive special couldn't help but remind me of my childhood days, when Dora The Explorer would give us a blank look on the screen, and ask children to look for things that were right under her feet. Well, the show at times, is a grown-up version of the same. Why would you want us to make a choice for you, when it's obvious that a grappling gun is of more help than a flare bomb in the forest?!
4. How Does a GPS Help in Finding a Flower?!
After the completion of the first task (which depends on your choice), Ranveer and Grylls find a GPS device, set for them to help find the Serbian Ramonda, atop the hills, down below some cliff, right in the middle of the Serbian dense forest (I know). Here, my GPS doesn't even help me get to an unfamiliar restaurant in one piece, without driving across narrow lanes and construction sites, only to reach the wrong place eventually. And Bear Grylls' GPS tracks a tiny flower! Let me digest that.
5. The ‘Food’ in the Show Made Me Lose My Appetite
If you're a fan Man Vs Wild, you will not be oblivious to the kinds of 'food' or should I say carcasses — that Bear Grylls consumes in the show for his survival. Well, in Ranveer Vs Wild, you'll see no different. From live ants, to boar testicals and maggots, Ranveer will eat what you want. A free piece of advice, don't watch the show while you're eating. Lena hai toh lo, nahi toh jaane do!
6. Ranveer Explores the Inner Jay Shetty in Him
We all know former monk, now influencer Jay Shetty, and his motivational podcasts. Well, to my surprise Ranveer is a lot like him. From comparing his love for Deepika with a rare flower's immortality to explaining why life is an "act of balance," this show also has a deep philosophical side to it. Now, I can surely write another article on the 'Top 10 Motivational Quotes by Ranveer Singh For Your New Whatsapp Status.'
7. Ranveer Can’t Stop Talking About Deepika Padukone
If there's one person we hear the most about in this hour-long episode, it's obviously Deepika Padukone. Ranveer literally cannot stop talking about her throughout the show. As if this wasn't enough, the show also gives you an option to make him talk about his love story with Deepika, and how they first met. I mean, it did make sense when Grylls called Ranveer "an eternal romantic." But, ho gaya yaar! At least, don't confuse the adventure show with Bajirao Mastaani.
8. What Was Karan Kapadia Even Doing in the Show?
Yes, filmmaker Karan Kapadia, who is also Ranveer's really good friend, has a 5-minute cameo in the show. He enters the show retrieving a voice note from Deepika for Ranveer and leaves after eating live maggots off of a dead boar. I mean, what was the point again? Didn't Deepika wish Ranveer luck before he left for the expedition, where he distracted wolves with his Bhangra?
9. The Audience-Interactivity Is Also Confining the Show
Although, the creators of the show tried to make it more viewer-friendly by adding to its interactivity, it naturally makes the viewers wonder, "what would Ranveer do if I had chosen the other option?" While I did enjoy making a choice for Ranveer's fate in the show, I couldn't help myself from replaying each task with a different choice. Yes, the show allows you to undo your choices, but it also replays the scenes that you have already watched, by default. Yeh toh badi na-insaafi hai re!
10. The Show Has Better Action Than Most Bollywood Films
I'm not a hater, but Ranveer Vs Wild With Bear Grylls, definitely has better action sequences than Rohit Shetty's Simmba with Ranveer. All the adventurous scenes are well-directed in the show, and don't look staged at all (if you know what I mean). Right from crossing the blinding distance, between two cliffs with a tyrolean rope to rappelling from a breathtaking height, the show definitely raised my heartbeat as Ranveer performed all these tasks. The show truly gives you an adrenaline rush!
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