#RoadTrippinWithRnM is an exercise in innovation: Rocky & Mayur
#RoadTrippinWithRnM Season 4 on History TV18 teams up once more with travellers Rocky Singh and Mayur Sharma to entertain viewers. For the new season, the two childhood friends, irrepressible foodies and travellers, are packing their bags for a road trip through the western state of Gujarat.
The social media-focused digital franchise has won accolades and millions of fans with exciting road trips across several Indian states, at a time when road travel has been gaining popularity. Over the last three seasons, the unique travel vlogging series #RoadTrippinWithRnM has brought real-time travel experiences to a rapidly growing community of fans and followers on social media platforms. HistoryTV18 and Rocky and Mayur’s own social media feeds have been a buzz with hundreds of vlogs, photographs and reels, with a unique, real-world perspective that is full of energy colour and flavour.
Even as the Covid-19 vaccination gains momentum and restrictions ease across India, road trips remain the preferred mode of leisure travel. HistoryTV18 spotted the trend early on, creating an innovative, first-of-its-kind and made-for-the-times format that entertains, informs, and showcases unique out-of-the-box experiences that road trips and the diversity of India offers. The trademark sense of humour and eccentricities of two of India’s best-known food and travel presenters make the show all the more fun. The first leg of #RoadTrippinWithRnM, Season Four, shall begin in Gujarat’s historic port city, Surat. Over the following two weeks, the road trip will wind its way through Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Somnath, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Porbandar and Rajkot. The journey shall also take viewers to scenic seaside Diu.
Rocky & Mayur in an exclusive chat with MediaNews4U, talks on the new season of #RoadTrippinWithRnM, on the journey of the show, the followers they have and much more.
#RoadTrippinWithRnM is a treat for viewers as it not only takes you through the various parts of the country but also educates the viewers on the local food, how was this show initially conceptualised?
In the days of the first lockdown, our friends in Rajasthan found themselves in a unique position. They couldn’t pay their staff as there was no business and they couldn’t fire them as most had been working for them for generations. They were thus, down to tapping family savings and investments etc. Many of our friends reached out to us to do something in this terrible situation. That’s when #RoadTrippinWithRnM with HistoryTV18 was conceptualized. We have always believed that India is the best tourist destination in the world with an incredible choice of sights, food and culture to look at. We decided to once again, bring it to the viewers in a fun and live format. No mikes, no cameras, no lights, just one guy with a handheld cellphone. The clear purpose, design, intent and execution was to drive tourists to visit the places we went to by showing them how amazing they were, the success of it speaks for itself and for the burst of tourism our friends experienced.
How do you plan to go about with Season 4, has Gujarat now fully opened up?
Gujarat is a gifted state with vast tourism potential. Its food is legendary but people often forget the riches it has in terms of historical monuments and incredible wildlife. The plan, like all road trips, is to keep it simple. A new city every day, lots of driving, lots of great food from the favourites on the street to the most delicate cuisines in 5 stars, we intend to have something for everyone. Against the rich cultural backdrop of Gujarat, it’s sure to delight the viewers.
What would be the SOP’s you will follow?
We have a 6 point Anti – Covid regimen that has worked so far, we intend to follow that to the T. Our SOP’s are many and varied and you’ll see them unfold on the road as we talk about travelling in Covid times.
The past year thanks to the lockdown, digital usage is on the surge, what are your expectations this season from your followers?
We hope to capture the imagination of our viewers and also have them travel vicariously through us. While we will be taking all precautions, one is never 100 % sure of being safe is it the road and traffic, Corona or the gods of weather in the rains. Anything can happen, but it’s our friends and brothers and sisters of the restaurant, food and travel businesses that are suffering deeply and so this is as much for them as for the viewer. With safety and precautions hopefully, people can travel sensibly again as millions of people’s livelihoods and families depend on this.
Any innovative marketing campaigns for this season?
#RoadTrippinWithRnM is an exercise in innovation. Imagine landing up at 6-8 places per day without a script and having to narrate a video that will be viewed by millions and instantly judged. The series is entirely shot only on an iPhone 12 Pro Max. Innovation is the lifeblood of every second of the 15 days we will be on the road. This is simply impossible for anyone out there to do and if you think you can, all you have to do is follow our tracks. Drive our vehicles 4-8 hours a day, stop at 8 places, and shoot 8 videos complete with information, details, entertainment and some great food… It’s a fun challenge to put out there..hope someone takes it up and then we can compare and what fun it’ll be …we highly recommend all journalists to try it …innovation will be the fuel and if not it’ll definitely be the outcome …if you can finish the 15 days of course… More the merrier