Who’s ‘Chaalbaaz No1’?

Host and director Sajid Khan will now be judging the show, which will laud the greatest prankster reports Sapana Patil Poojary

He is naturally funny and the effect is contagious. One of the best hosts on TV, Sajid Khan, will now turn judge for 'Champion Chaalbaaz No. 1' (Sony) —where participants will outdo each other in playing pranks. Sajid will be accompanied by humourist and anchor Cyrus Broacha.

Sajid says, "This show is fun and honestly, I don't have much work here; I am just judging it." Given that Sajid and Cyrus profess a different line of humour, do the two have any creative clashes? "No, no" refutes Sajid adding, "Cyrus and I have hosted live events together. We have a judgment of each other's humour. Hence, there have been no clashes. I feel we complement each other. And in fact, I connect to him because I am half-Parsi."

Although Sajid recently made his directorial debut with the hit 'Heyy Babyy', he says he can't detach himself from TV. "I had debuted on TV. And these days, all successful people are on TV—be it Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan or Farah Khan,"
he says.

Sajid had made his TV debut by anchoring a game show called 'Main Bhi Detective' (one of the first shows on Zee) 13 years ago and went on to give several hit shows including 'Kehne Mein Kya Harz Hai' and 'Sajid No 1'. In fact, his 'Ikke Pe Ikka', is till running. "It is the 'DDLJ' of TV, as it is in its 619th week. It is running on a no-profit, no loss basis. We are running the show because it is the channel's heritage and I will do it even from the hospital bed," laughs Sajid.

Ask him if he too believes that comedy is a difficult genre to explore and he says, "Emotional and action scenes are liked by most the people. You don't' need language to communicate emotions. But comedy is a divided medium. What may be liked by critics may not be liked by masses and vice versa."

Quiz him if he would give himself a second chance at acting and he says, "I was terrible in 'Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate'. I have realised that I am not a good actor but am a good performer. I'd like to act on TV though not with the so-called stars."

Sajid is set to do three more TV shows; one similar to 'Koffee with Karan', one a film-based show and another a stand-up comedy.

Sajid, who recently turned 37, says he got a long lecture from his mother advising him to settle down. Sajid's repartee to his mother was, "You settle down first."