Paaru-Kamrudin red card: TRP hunger makes Bigg Boss Tamil an ugly watch
While society spews anger on the contestants, there are questions on host Vijay Sethupathi's culpability and Vijay TV's seeming willingness to milk conflict for TRP
Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8, which marked Vijay Sethupathi’s debut as host, met with a largely underwhelming response. Apart from a few spikes, the season barely registered on the collective consciousness of the Tamil viewers.
Even Sethupathi’s hosting came under scrutiny. The finale, won by Tamil YouTuber Muthukumaran, felt predictable almost from Week 1.
Vijay Sethupathi typically comes uprepared for the weekend episodes, shows little patience with the contestants, is downright rude to them, has clear favourites, and doesn't routinely rein in errant behaviour in the Bigg Boss house.
In hindsight, Season 8 feels like a trial run. Because Bigg Boss Tamil Season 9 has turned into one of the most talked-about, and arguably most exhausting, spectacles in Tamil pop culture over the past three months. The decibel levels hit a crescendo last week, producing what may well be one of the ugliest episodes in the history of Tamil reality television.
VJ Paaru: Drama engine to public villain
From Day 1, YouTuber and TV personality Paarvathy, better known as VJ Paaru, emerged as a boon for Vijay TV and streaming partner Jio Hotstar. She brought the chaos the format thrives on. From her on-show alliance with Instagram personality Diwagar, aka Watermelon Star, to repeatedly provoking fellow contestants into explosive reactions, Paaru quickly became a dominant, and divisive, presence inside the house.
Also Read: Why Kamal Haasan-hosted Bigg Boss Tamil is problematic at many levels
Controversial remarks, repeated confrontations, and eventually a romantic pairing with TV actor Kamarudin only deepened public resentment. On Tamil social media, Paaru steadily transformed into one of the most disliked figures of the season.
The episode that crossed a line
On January 2, Day 89, Bigg Boss announced a ticket-to-finale task. Nine contestants were required to enter a hatchback car at the buzzer, with the last person remaining inside declared the winner. Amid suffocation and chaos, contestant Vikkals Vikram exited the car.
But the task soon took a deeply disturbing turn. Paaru and Kamarudin targeted former VJ and TV actress Sandra Amy with repeated insults, calling her 'Scamdra'. When Sandra retaliated by mocking Kamarudin as “Kaama’rudin” (a play on kaamam, meaning lust), the situation spiralled. The duo aggressively bullied Sandra and physically shoved her out of the car.
Sandra was later seen suffering what appeared to be a medical episode and was given immediate assistance. Co-contestants Sabarinathan and Gana Vinoth abandoned the task to help her, forfeiting their chance at the finale.
Outrage, backlash, and the red card
The episode proved deeply unsettling for many viewers, triggering widespread outrage online. Calls for Paaru and Kamarudin’s immediate eviction flooded social media.
Also Read: Why Bigg Boss Kannada has triggered deep rifts within Karnataka Congress
On Saturday (January 3), Vijay Sethupathi issued red cards to the duo, sending them out of the house. The decision was met with celebration. For many fans, it was a moment of long-awaited catharsis.
“Finally, humanity wins,” wrote one user.
“This is the best episode in Bigg Boss Tamil history,” said another.
The buzz reached such proportions that even people who had never watched the show tuned in. One comment under the promo read: “I am watching Bigg Boss for the first time.”
When catharsis turns into exploitation
Yet, once the cheers faded, uncomfortable questions lingered. The episode left many viewers, this writer included, with a racing heart, anger, and unease that didn’t dissipate quickly. Family members watching alongside expressed similar distress.
It raises a basic question: what kind of mental impact does such content have on viewers who aren’t prepared for it?
Also Read: How Bigg Boss, one of the oldest reality shows, has turned into a ‘scripted farce’
Vijay TV soon found itself under scrutiny. The channel announced a re-telecast of the episode, reportedly a first in the history of Bigg Boss Tamil, obviously to tap into its TRP. The promo’s comment section quickly turned hostile, with viewers accusing the channel of milking trauma for ratings.
One comment on social media summed it up sharply: “Red cards were issued and the issue is over. For TRP, don’t spoil someone’s life. Bigg Boss stayed silent when Parvathy and Kamarudin crossed every line. Re-telecasting this is disgusting.”
Another viewer wrote, “Re-telecasting this episode for TRP feels extremely insensitive. Accountability should not turn into public humiliation.”
The bigger question Vijay TV won’t answer
The show host has opened himself to widespread criticism. He typically comes uprepared for the weekend episodes, shows little patience with the contestants, is downright rude to them, has clear favourites, and doesn't routinely rein in errant behaviour in the Bigg Boss house. The red cards issued yesterday could well have been averted had Sethupathi been a more conscientious host from day 1.
There is also the question of TRP hunger. Reality TV thrives on conflict, that’s no secret. But Bigg Boss Tamil Season 9 seems to be pushing that logic to its breaking point.
When verbal violence, physical aggression, and emotional breakdowns are not just aired but replayed for “engagement,” the show stops being messy entertainment and starts becoming something far uglier.
The red card may have closed one chapter. But the TRP hunger it exposed remains an open, unsettling question.
