KATHMANDU, Sept 22: A new TV game show, ‘Pahunch’, is set to go on air starting from 7.25 pm tonight on NTV. The 13 episode long show is populated by eight contestants from diverse backgrounds who will closely work with representatives of Nepal Police to learn different law enforcement subjects like homicide, road traffic, human trafficking, sexual harassment etc. They will be then judged based on the police procedural knowledge they bring in reconstructed crime scenes.
The eight contestants include make-up artist Sophie Sunuwar, national level basketball player Maya Syangtan , youth activist Akwar Ansari, dairy owner Ajit Kumar Karna, former Maoist combatant/entrepreneur Gyan Bahadur Lama, national level taekwondo player and burn survivor Sita Bhandari, model/aspiring actor Parbina Dahit and former travel show host/media person Shanta Nepali. The winner of the game show goes home with a cash prize of Rs. 2,000,000 and other gift hampers.
Most of the contestants, when asked, expressed how deep rooted their mistrust towards the police was, before they took part in the show, and how now that they have worked with the police, they will never step back from their duties as responsible citizens of the country.
“The public recognizes the police as a symbol of ‘authority’, but they are not aware of the challenges that the police have to overcome in order to establish peace and security. The reality game show is crafted to evoke empathy, responsibility, and collaboration between the public and the police,” says Yubakar Raj Rajkarnikar, director of programs at Search for Common Ground – Nepal, a non-profit organization that’s producing the show.
“We are hopeful that the reality TV game show will help foster a sense of belonging of the public towards the police. ‘Pahunch’ is designed to increase public access to justice and security, and it also echoes a powerful message that the Nepal Police cannot function effectively without public support”, says Inspector General of Police (IGP), Upendra Kanta Aryal.
Since the event took place on World Peace Day, the organizers also announced the winners of the first ‘Peace on Earth photo and video contest’. Ishan Bhusal’s short movie, ‘The Designed Fortunes,’ won the first prize. The video dwells on the impact of media violence in adolescents, and the powerful message that people do not need weapons to become heroes. Similarly, Sanjay Maharjan won first prize in the photography contest. His photo depicting a rickshaw driver’s life metaphorically reflects peace as state of mind.
Nurturing police-public understanding through ‘Pahunch’
