Karan Patel on joining The 50: Don’t disrespect a woman or character assassinate someone for game
Karan Patel says his decision to be part of The 50 came from a deeply personal place rather than professional calculation. The actor tells us that he was craving a complete break from the digital overload that defines everyday life today. “For me, it was honestly a digital detox. I’m so sick and tired of using the phone. Everything has become electronic and convenient, and I think we’ve lost touch with our primitive life,” Patel says, adding that the idea of stripping life down to its basics intrigued him. “Earlier, you had to work for things. If you needed water, you went and got it. Now everything is on the phone. I just wanted a change of lifestyle and to get back in touch with how life used to be fun.”
Despite the show being a first-of-its-kind format with no set template, Karan says he never second-guessed his decision. He believes the show will open doors for others rather than follow a tested path. Interestingly, the actor has been working on his physical transformation. When asked if that was preparation for the show, he says, “I transformed my physicality because of another shoot, and also because my friend and my wife kept insisting that I need to look younger. Clearly, it paid off.”
While Patel insists he doesn’t walk into reality shows with strategies or alliances in mind, he is clear about personal boundaries. “I generally get along with all kinds of people. I’m not trying to change your lifestyle, and you don’t try to change mine, and we’ll be just fine. If you try and rub me the wrong way, then you’ve probably pulled a whisker of a tiger, and then one can’t blame the kind of reaction you get out of me.”
Often perceived as short-tempered, Karan doesn’t deny his anger issues but reframes them as a matter of principle. “I agree I’m short-tempered, but not all the time and not without a reason. There are trigger points. You disrespect a woman, character-assassinate someone, or cross moral lines; those are absolute deal-breakers for me. It’s something I will not tolerate, even if I’m in my deepest sleep. I’ll wake up and stand up against it,” he asserts, adding, “I wouldn’t call that short-tempered. I would call that principled.”
With the reality show, the 42-year-old says viewers will see him without filters or performative behavior. “I don’t do diplomacy or middle lines. Either I like you or I don’t,” he says, adding that his approach has always been simple — be real, draw boundaries, and stand firm on principles.
