Makers of MTV Roadies first approached adult-star-turned-actress Sunny Leone to judge the reality show. However, they had to rope in Esha Deol as the "Mastizaade" actress demanded a hefty amount to be a part of the show.
According to reports, Leone demanded a whopping ₹4 crore to judge the 12th season of "MTV Roadies".
"The channel authorities were willing to pay around ₹ 60-70 lakh, but they were taken aback when she demanded ₹ 4 crore," Mid-Day quoted a source as saying.
Another source told the daily that actresses Soha Ali Khan and Gul Panag were also approached for the same, but even they demanded hefty amounts.
However, Leone denied the reports and said that the makers of "Roadies" never approached her.
As per latest reports, "Dhoom" actress Esha Deol will judge the show along with Olympic medalist Vijender Singh and TV actor Karan Kundra, whereas VJ Rannvijay Singha will remain the host of the show.
"Esha Deol had been looking forward to make her TV debut for a while now but wanted to be a part of the show which was popular with the youth. Esha's no-nonsense persona combined with her ability to disengage herself from emotional entanglements makes her the perfect fit for the show," the makers said in a statement.
VJ's Raghu Ram and Rajiv Laxman were the judges of the show since the first season. But the two decided to quit the show in February this year to focus on their new company.
"I share a long-standing and strong bond with the channel. In February, I had explained to them why I couldn't do this show anymore and they understood. It was cordial. We are currently working with them on a new show. Also, we had announced the formation of our company earlier in August. So how can I get ousted in November?" The Times of India quoted Raghu as saying.
