After winning Roadies Revolution and Splitsvilla 14, content creator and reality show star Hamid Barkzi is all set to enter a brand-new battlefield with an upcoming reality show, The 50. With a never-seen-before format featuring 50 contestants and high-stakes gameplay where the audience can bet on the winner and stand a chance to win ₹50 lakh, the show is already creating a buzz.
In an exclusive conversation with Hindustan Times, Hamid opened up about why he said yes, how the game is different from everything he has done before, and what the show means for him.
On saying yes to The 50
Hamid explained, “It’s an amazing feeling,” Hamid shares. “A lot of people kept asking me, ‘You’ve done Roadies and Splitsvilla, now when will you do something new?’ So I felt this was the right time and the right place. I am very excited.”
Hamid reveals that he was approached nearly two months ago while he was still associated with Splitsvilla as an insider. “I was in talks but I didn’t know the concept initially. Later, when I found out that there would be 50 contestants and that it’s completely task-based with a strong mental game, I got really intrigued.”
What convinced him to take the plunge
“One big factor that convinced me was that the shows I have done so far have a fixed structure,” he explains. “But here, you genuinely don’t know what’s going to happen next. Of course, we know that alliances will be made, but a reality show with 50 people has never happened before.”
Another major pull for him was the platform. “It’s my first opportunity to work with Colors TV, and honestly, everyone dreams of working with Colors. So I was like, great, let’s do this.”
On choosing The 50 over Bigg Boss and KKK
Hamid admits that he is open to shows like Khatron Ke Khiladi and Bigg Boss as well. “I am definitely up for KKK and Bigg Boss, but this opportunity came first. And they say the first one is always special. This is the first season of The 50, so I thought, let’s do this first and then see what comes next.”
Fear of getting lost among 50 contestants?
Addressing concerns about his visibility, Hamid remains philosophical. “I had the same thought during Roadies. But someone once told me that what’s written in your destiny, no one can take away from you. So whether it’s 50 people or 100, what I deserve, I will get. I’ll work hard for it. Getting seen or not, I leave that to God.”
What attracted him to the game and his preparation
Calling it a completely new challenge, Hamid says, “This is a new opportunity and a new game altogether. The strategies I used in Roadies and Splitsvilla might not work here. I usually go with my gut instinct, so either it will work or it won’t.” In terms of preparation, he adds, “I am working more on my endurance. Apart from that, I’ll just be myself. I will portray who I really am and never try to show something I’m not.”
Getting Squid Game vibes
Hamid can’t deny the comparison after watching the house reveal. “It gives 100 per cent Squid Game vibes,” he laughs. “Bas ismein goliyan nahi chalengi, which is a good thing. The house is absolutely beautiful.”
How the tasks differ from Roadies and Splitsvilla
“When I understood the concept, I realised that the tasks here will be very different than that in Roadies and Splitsvilla,” Hamid says. “The biggest challenge is that you’re playing with 50 people. We’ll have to see whether it’s better to play individually or as part of an alliance.”
How The 50 is different from Bigg Boss
Stating what makes The 50 different from Bigg Boss, Hamid said, “It has 50 people and a much bigger space than Bigg Boss. But the kalesh will be pro-max because there are 50 people and everyone will have their own opinions.”
What The 50 means to him
For Hamid, the show is more than just a competition. “It’s a game, and I am passionate about games. It’s also a career move because people like us who got fame after Roadies and Splitsvilla will now be seen on Colors, so a wider audience will know us. And of course, it’s about branding too.”
On Prince Narula being part of the show
Talking about his Roadies mentor, Prince Narula, also being a contestant, Hamid says, “If he’s there, it’s a moment of pride for me. He was my leader and mentor in Roadies, and now we’ll be contestants together. He is extremely passionate about games, just like me. When he plays, he plays to win. So the pressure will be 100 per cent, but at the end of the day, it will be an individual game.”
Apart from Hamid, The 50 also stars Prince Narula, Yuvika Choudhary, Manisha Rani, Nikki Tamboli, Rajat Dalal, Lovekesh Kataria, Karan Patel, Divya Agarwal, Faisal Mallik, Nehal Chudasama, Manisha Rani, Bebika Dhurve, Shiv Thakare and Arbaz Patel, among others. The show is all set to premiere on February 1 on Colors TV and JioHotstar.
