Mini Mathur Says ‘Alliance’ Helped Her Discover Hidden Strengths

MUMBAI- Actress and television host Mini Mathur, who won the reality show ‘Alliance’, said the experience pushed her beyond her comfort zone and helped her discover strengths she was previously unaware of.

Mini Mathur said the shift from being a presenter to a participant changed her perspective on performance and storytelling.

“Absolutely. As a host or presenter, your job is to tell someone else’s story and connect the audience with it. Here, I was content. I became the subject of entertainment. I never imagined that I could live with so many people under constant camera surveillance and still inspire viewers. This became a competition with myself. I discovered strengths and potential within me that I never knew existed,” she said.

Addressing the debate around strategy versus unethical gameplay in reality shows, Mini Mathur said a certain level of manipulation is part of the format but drew a clear line at personal attacks.

“A certain amount of manipulation is part of strategy. If you want someone to underplay their game because it benefits your own strategy or improves your position on the tracker board, that is perfectly acceptable. It is part of the game,” she said.

“However, personal attacks, insulting someone’s gender, or shouting simply to create toxicity are things I do not believe in. There is a very fine line between playing strategically to survive and trying to pull someone down just to move ahead yourself,” she added, noting that such behavior is unnecessary.

She expressed hope that her win would set a positive example. “Hopefully, my victory sends a message to other reality shows that you do not have to be down and dirty to win. You can be straightforward, sharp, strategic, and even manipulative within the rules of the game,” she said.

The reality show ‘Alliance’, hosted by actor Kunal Kemmu, featured 16 contestants who entered as allies, with shifting loyalties and strategic gameplay shaping the competition. The show, produced by Banijay Asia, is the Hindi-language adaptation of a Dutch format created by John de Mol and is streaming on Prime Video. (IANS)