Neha Dhupia on Roadies: You fight to survive, but there’s also a lot of peace

Neha Dhupia has been a familiar and formidable presence on MTV Roadies for years, but behind the fiery arguments, competitive face-offs, and intense gang rivalries, the actor reveals there’s far more calm and camaraderie than viewers might imagine. In a conversation with mid-day’s The Bombay Film Story, Neha Dhupia said that the show is more than what people perceive it to be. 

Neha Dhupia on Roadies

Reflecting on her time as a gang leader, Neha admits that the show pushes everyone into survival mode. “If you’re put in a situation where you need to fight for survival, you will fight,” she says, adding that while the pressure is intense, it isn’t constant. “There is a lot of peace too. It’s just that when we’re in the middle of it, winning becomes everything.”

Known for her fierce leadership style, Neha doesn’t shy away from the label of being competitive. She explains that competitiveness, for her, has always been situational. “I’m not like that on parents’ day or school sports day. But if I’m running that race, I will be competitive,” she says, stressing that ambition and aggression aren’t flaws. What truly matters, she believes, is learning how to handle failure, bounce back quickly, and return stronger.

Neha on audiences not liking her

Neha also addressed the perception that followed her during her early years on the show. There was a time, she recalls, when viewers were openly vocal about not liking her. “It was always, ‘We love everybody else, but she’s too aggressive,’” she says. However, an unexpected break from the show turned things around. When she returned after two seasons, the reception was dramatically different. “The love was incredible. I didn’t even know I had so many cheerleaders,” she admits, still surprised by the shift.

Talking about the larger phenomenon of Roadies, Neha says the scale of the show continues to amaze her. “They want to show what they’ve got, and the ones who make it have that magic,” she says, describing the raw hunger and energy of the contestants that have kept the reality show relevant for years.

Neha’s journey with Roadies began not as a gang leader, but as a curious fan. She remembers attending her first meeting simply to understand the format, never imagining how deeply involved she would eventually become. Over the course of the grueling forty-day shoot, she says bonds are formed organically. 

She said that while teams get competitive, once the finale is done, they are all back to being friends.