Bigg Boss Tamil 5: From failure of wild card entries to eviction of Akshara and Thamaraiselvi, why this season is less exciting than the previous one

Bigg Boss Tamil 5 will finally end on Sunday (January 16). From host Kamal Haasan testing COVID-19 positive to severe lockdown restrictions towards the end of the season, Bigg Boss Tamil 5 has finally reached its climax amidst several challenges and limitations. Though the season had its best and worst moments, unlike the previous seasons, the fifth season failed to gain overwhelming popularity and top the TRP chart ratings. Here is a rundown of reasons why this season is dull when compared to the previous ones.

Often, the reality show gets spiced up when wild card contestants walk into the house. In the previous seasons, wild card entries had always pumped up the game and intensified the drama inside the BB house. For instance, VJ Archana Chandoke and singer Suchitra set the drama high in season 4. Actress Meera Midhun’s entry in season 3 took care of the TRPs even in the mid-weeks of COVID's first wave.

But this time, two wild card entries-Amir and Sanjeev-had failed to ignite the spark that was seen in the previous season. Though Amir kissing Pavani was one of the most talked about, it fizzled out quickly.

While it is usual that when a popular contestant gets eliminated, Bigg Boss faces accusations of favoritism, this time the flak was quite different. The makers faced serious backlash from the fans for eliminating contestants who were considered to be strong. The eviction of two strong contestants, Akshara and Varun, left several fans disappointed.

Those who watched BB5 closely always thought that Thamaraiselvi was a strong contestant with a loyal vote bank, too. But she got evicted.

The declaration of Niroop as a finalist without voting or winning the ticket to the finale is also being questioned by a section of netizens on social media.

Notably, the majority of the tasks in this season are not physical. Though the season started with some interesting tasks like 'Cup mukkiyam biglee,' eventually the show got lackadaisical as all the tasks lined up were not physical but mental tasks. In fact, there were moments when an aggressive competition between the housemates was seen. For instance, the competition between Akshara and Amir in the balloon immunity task was spectacular. Yet, the makers of the show, for some unknown reason, went with more mental tasks.

The 'ticket to the finale' tasks also came across as a disappointment to the audience. Out of the 5 tasks in the ‘ticket to the finale’, only one was a physical task. Additionally, one of the strong contestants, Niroop, was also eliminated in the very first task. Moreover, the quarrels and squabbles followed by each mental task were tiring for the viewers as well.

The show is all about drama. Despite the fact that fights take precedence, romance also blooms inside the BB house. However, this season did not witness any of such love stories. Even Amir's wooing of Pavani gathered a lot of negativity, forcing Amir to change his strategy. Though Abinay and Pavani's controversy initially grabbed eyeballs, the debate came to an end when Abinay got evicted soon after.

Unlike the previous season, where Bala vs. the entire housemates in the open court or the way Anitha rattled Rio, bombarding him with questions, political tasks or immunity challenges did not measure up to the expectations. Undoubtedly, the current season has friendly contestants. Though the competitiveness of the housemates was unprecedented, they got along well after the task, leaving no space for intense drama. Even a peacemaker would agree to the fact that "Where is the fun when there is no drama?"

In the previous seasons, the Kurumpadams (short films) played by host Kamal Haasan, had helped the show stay abuzz on social media. The Kurum padam played by Bala in Bigg Boss 4 or Gayatri Raguram's short films in Bigg Boss 1 had sparked heated debate on social media for the next few days. This season, Kamal Haasan had not employed much of the Kurumpadams, or the Kurumpadams hadn't managed to trigger a spark among the audience.

In the issue of Abinay Vaddi and Pavani, fans on social media floated many Kurumpadams. Yet the makers of Bigg Boss Tamil 5 were content with Kamal’s harsh comments.