From Tejasswi's 'shut up' to Karan's proposal: Inside the making of Desi Bling
Desi Bling producer Mazen Laham reveals how the Netflix reality show was cast and whether the drama was scripted. He also shared behind-the-scenes details of Tejasswi's viral 'shut uppp' moment and Karan Kundrra's proposal.
When Netflix’s Desi Bling dropped last week, it instantly became one of the most talked-about reality shows online. From Tejasswi Prakash’s now-viral 'shut uppp' moment, the problematic attitude of the ultra-rich people to endless debates around whether the show is scripted, audiences have dissected everything -- the friendships, the fights, the fashion, and the luxurious Dubai lifestyle.
And according to Different Productions founder and CEO Mazen Laham, the chaos, emotions and drama that viewers are watching unfold are very much real. In an exclusive conversation with India Today, Mazen opened up about how the show was conceptualised, why casting took months, and how they prepped its cast to deal with the good and bad of being viral.
Speaking about the origin of Desi Bling, Mazen said the idea stemmed from the success of Dubai Bling and Dubai's large Indian community. Once the concept was in place, it was pitched to Netflix India and quickly greenlit.
He added that, unlike scripted projects, reality shows depend heavily on casting, making it the most challenging and time-consuming part of the process. The producer revealed that it took nearly four months to lock the final cast because the team wasn’t simply looking for rich or glamorous people. They were looking for stories, emotional dynamics, and most importantly, authentic relationships.
“It’s not a series, where there are characters. It’s their stories, their personal stories, their lives. We did manage to have a special cast, and trust me, it was the toughest part of the show. Because you need to find the cast members with good stories. We don’t create any stories... and we want stories in the present, because it’s not a documentary. You can't talk about the past, you need to show what’s happening now,” he said.
According to Mazen, another important aspect while casting was making sure the group felt organic and interconnected rather than randomly assembled for television. He also revealed how the Sanpal family was probably the last ones to get cast. He explained how the team spotted headlines around Satish Sanpal’s extravagant birthday celebrations for his daughter, which led to his entry on Desi Bling.
“We were all set, and about to close the cast. And he did that huge party, and we called him. We then met Binda, and realised she was also very interesting, and that's how it worked out,” he explained.
The producer also opened up about the sudden fame many cast members experienced after the show exploded online, admitting that the psychological impact of overnight virality can often be overwhelming.
“Most of the other cast members were not known, and so it's an entirely new experience with this type of fame. People are stopping them at malls and chasing you on Instagram. It’s not easy on them, psychologically as well. Because there’s also hate, along with the love they are getting," he explained, adding that the team had already warned the cast members about the reality of public scrutiny and trolling before the show’s release.
One of the biggest hooks in Desi Bling was undoubtedly the presence of television power couple Karan Kundrra and Tejasswi Prakash. From their emotional moments to Karan’s elaborate proposal, the duo became central to the show’s viral success. Speaking about how the makers brought them on board, Mazen Laham revealed that the decision was not merely based on their celebrity value, but also their connection with Dubai.
“They have their house here, and were planning to move. And they are connected to the Sajan family. Karan also knew Satish," he said, adding that the team was very clear from the beginning that they did not want celebrities to appear disconnected from the larger friend circle or the reality of the show.
“So we were looking for people connected to Dubai but who don’t live here, to make the show relevant for the people living in India. Of course, they are very popular, but they also had a beautiful story to share,” he said.
Mazen also addressed the recurring speculation around whether the show is scripted, insisting that the emotional arcs viewers saw between Karan and Tejasswi were completely genuine. “Everybody, even in Dubai, asks us if it was scripted. But no, we didn't create it. Their love story was real, and people who hated each other on the show... well, they still hate each other outside the show,” he said with a chuckle.
Talking about the big climax, the producer revealed that Karan had informed the team beforehand about wanting to propose to Tejasswi, and their challenge was ensuring the surprise remained intact till the very end. Sharing details from behind the scenes of the proposal shoot, Mazen admitted that while audiences saw a dreamy romantic moment on screen, the reality behind the cameras was far more chaotic due to Dubai’s extreme summer heat and the scale of production involved.
“We filmed it around the end of May last year, and it had started to get very hot. So, it was a very complicated scene to film because there were a hundred people going into the villa where we were filming it, and then going out for five minutes to relax. It was crazy, but seeing Tejasswi so happy, it was worth the effort,” he said.
On a final note, he admitted that the makers never anticipated Tejasswi’s 'Shut uppp' moment would become such a massive social media trend. “I swear I was talking to the showrunner Marcel yesterday; I was telling him how we never saw it coming. Sometimes people pick these things. But it's all fun,” he said.
Netflix's Desi Bling premiered on May 20.
When Netflix’s Desi Bling dropped last week, it instantly became one of the most talked-about reality shows online. From Tejasswi Prakash’s now-viral 'shut uppp' moment, the problematic attitude of the ultra-rich people to endless debates around whether the show is scripted, audiences have dissected everything -- the friendships, the fights, the fashion, and the luxurious Dubai lifestyle.
And according to Different Productions founder and CEO Mazen Laham, the chaos, emotions and drama that viewers are watching unfold are very much real. In an exclusive conversation with India Today, Mazen opened up about how the show was conceptualised, why casting took months, and how they prepped its cast to deal with the good and bad of being viral.
Speaking about the origin of Desi Bling, Mazen said the idea stemmed from the success of Dubai Bling and Dubai's large Indian community. Once the concept was in place, it was pitched to Netflix India and quickly greenlit.
He added that, unlike scripted projects, reality shows depend heavily on casting, making it the most challenging and time-consuming part of the process. The producer revealed that it took nearly four months to lock the final cast because the team wasn’t simply looking for rich or glamorous people. They were looking for stories, emotional dynamics, and most importantly, authentic relationships.
“It’s not a series, where there are characters. It’s their stories, their personal stories, their lives. We did manage to have a special cast, and trust me, it was the toughest part of the show. Because you need to find the cast members with good stories. We don’t create any stories... and we want stories in the present, because it’s not a documentary. You can't talk about the past, you need to show what’s happening now,” he said.
According to Mazen, another important aspect while casting was making sure the group felt organic and interconnected rather than randomly assembled for television. He also revealed how the Sanpal family was probably the last ones to get cast. He explained how the team spotted headlines around Satish Sanpal’s extravagant birthday celebrations for his daughter, which led to his entry on Desi Bling.
“We were all set, and about to close the cast. And he did that huge party, and we called him. We then met Binda, and realised she was also very interesting, and that's how it worked out,” he explained.
The producer also opened up about the sudden fame many cast members experienced after the show exploded online, admitting that the psychological impact of overnight virality can often be overwhelming.
“Most of the other cast members were not known, and so it's an entirely new experience with this type of fame. People are stopping them at malls and chasing you on Instagram. It’s not easy on them, psychologically as well. Because there’s also hate, along with the love they are getting," he explained, adding that the team had already warned the cast members about the reality of public scrutiny and trolling before the show’s release.
One of the biggest hooks in Desi Bling was undoubtedly the presence of television power couple Karan Kundrra and Tejasswi Prakash. From their emotional moments to Karan’s elaborate proposal, the duo became central to the show’s viral success. Speaking about how the makers brought them on board, Mazen Laham revealed that the decision was not merely based on their celebrity value, but also their connection with Dubai.
“They have their house here, and were planning to move. And they are connected to the Sajan family. Karan also knew Satish," he said, adding that the team was very clear from the beginning that they did not want celebrities to appear disconnected from the larger friend circle or the reality of the show.
“So we were looking for people connected to Dubai but who don’t live here, to make the show relevant for the people living in India. Of course, they are very popular, but they also had a beautiful story to share,” he said.
Mazen also addressed the recurring speculation around whether the show is scripted, insisting that the emotional arcs viewers saw between Karan and Tejasswi were completely genuine. “Everybody, even in Dubai, asks us if it was scripted. But no, we didn't create it. Their love story was real, and people who hated each other on the show... well, they still hate each other outside the show,” he said with a chuckle.
Talking about the big climax, the producer revealed that Karan had informed the team beforehand about wanting to propose to Tejasswi, and their challenge was ensuring the surprise remained intact till the very end. Sharing details from behind the scenes of the proposal shoot, Mazen admitted that while audiences saw a dreamy romantic moment on screen, the reality behind the cameras was far more chaotic due to Dubai’s extreme summer heat and the scale of production involved.
“We filmed it around the end of May last year, and it had started to get very hot. So, it was a very complicated scene to film because there were a hundred people going into the villa where we were filming it, and then going out for five minutes to relax. It was crazy, but seeing Tejasswi so happy, it was worth the effort,” he said.
On a final note, he admitted that the makers never anticipated Tejasswi’s 'Shut uppp' moment would become such a massive social media trend. “I swear I was talking to the showrunner Marcel yesterday; I was telling him how we never saw it coming. Sometimes people pick these things. But it's all fun,” he said.
Netflix's Desi Bling premiered on May 20.
