What can bring together an actor, an IT professional, a software engineer turned martial art instructor and a filmmaking student so effortlessly for a television show but a passion for travelling. That’s why Fox Traveller approached VJ Purab Kohli for a show called Life Mein Ek Baar, where he along with a bunch of young boys will go around the world, take on adventurous activities, describe their thrilling escapades and heart-warming journeys.
Earlier this year Purab went on an extensive hunt on Facebook to find the perfect travel companions, with whom he could share a common travel wish list. He zeroed in on an eclectic mix of personalities. So we have Arun Kolagada, a charming software engineer who teaches Capoeira, a chilled out film student Bhaskara Seth and Jupiter Huidrom, a witty and funny marketing professional, who are up to experience extreme adrenaline rushes with Purab.
Surprisingly there is not a single girl on the show. “We did pick a few girls while selecting the contestants but then we were told that a girl-boy combination will offer a very different kind of conversation as opposed to the whole idea of the show. So we selected only boys,” explains Purab.
Purab recalls how he was told by the girls of the production team to look out for Arun, who is good-looking and into martial arts. “I found him very calm and of course good-looking. Now we had to pick two more guys who could complement him. So we decided on Bhaskar, who is quirky and fun to travel with. Jupiter was the last to be picked up. He is carefree and doesn’t care about what people say. Once we started shooting, we gelled pretty well.”
The boys shared wonderful moments in Ladakh, Nepal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Mumbai, Shillong, Thailand and Dubai. “We had a blast travelling. But I did miss girls,” says Purab.
Jupiter, who worked with HCL had to quit his job to be on the show. “I love travelling and interacting with people. This experience killed my fear. I would have tears in my eyes out of happiness. Now I would love to do a cookery or travel show,” sums up Jupiter.