KBC 3(with srk) : Concept and Articles - Page 14

A new lifeline for Prasenjit

Prasenjit Sarkar, the roll-over contestant from KBC 2, is all set to continue the game with Shah Rukh Khan Back to Section Stories

Ranjib Mazumder Prasenjit Sarkar with Shah Rukh Khan in KBC Prasenjit Sarkar's joy knew no bounds when he received the call from the KBC crew. The first contestant of the new season of Kaun Banega Crorepati, 39-year-old Prasenjit, and an Inspector of Central Excise in Kolkata is the 'roll-over contestant' of the last season of KBC, hosted by Amitabh Bachchan. Now, Prasenjit will be occupying the hotseat opposite Shah Rukh Khan. When contacted, Prasenjit said, "I am grateful to Star for inviting me as the 'roll-over contestant' and giving me the opportunity to be a part of this exciting game once again. When I got the call, I was overjoyed and my wife and son were too overwhelmed to believe it actually happening again. Honestly, I am feeling on top of the world." So, is he thrilled to be able to share the stage with SRK this time? "Of course I feel honoured to be able to grab the limelight with two biggest personalities in Bollywood," he added. When quizzed about the prize money, Prasenjit was tightlipped. "You have to watch the episode when it will be aired," he said. Ajay Vidyasagar, executive vice president of Star said, "He is the 'roll-over contestant' of the last season of KBC when Amitabh Bachchan was hosting the show. So, we decided to call him as our first contestant of the new season. This is to convey our regards to the viewers who havebeen loyal to us till now."

"SRK will give KBC a different face," says Ronit Roy

Faridoon Shahryar
IndiaGlitz [Friday, December 29, 2006>

As the first KBC promo featuring Shahrukh Khan hits the television screens tonight at 9 pm, top television stars are excited about the new host of KBC. Check out their views:

Deven Bhojani (Gattu from Baa Bahoo Aur Baby): I am excited and very enthusiastic to see the new season of KBC. We have all seen and watched Amitabh Bachchan, and now that Shah Rukh is the host, it gives us all the more reason to watch KBC. SRK has got the style as well as the panache. I am an SRK fan and I would love to see Mr. Bachchan on the hotseat with SRK on KBC.

Ronit Roy ( Rishabh Bajaj from Kasautii and Mihir from Kyunki Saas): Well, we all loved KBC when Mr. Bachchan hosted the show. Shahrukh Khan will give KBC a different face and KBC will have a different energy altogether. It will be a little more casual now with loads of wittiness and humor. Shahrukh Khan has got an excellent sense of humour and it will be nice to see a KBC that is different from the earlier one. I would love to see Smriti on the hot seat with SRK. I am a fan of SRK. Infact you can say that I am inspired by the way he talks and conducts himself.

Mouni Roy (Krishna Tulsi from Kyunki Saas Bhi): Well I am very fond of ShahRukh Khan. I think off-screen he's a better speaker and carries himself well. I would definitely love to see Rani Mukherji on the hotseat with SRK. I make it a point to watch all his movies and of course I'd love to be on the hotseat with SRK.

Vivaan Bhatena (Dhruv from Kumkum): I think he's the most apt person to replace Mr. Bachchan. He will add a new freshness to KBC and am sure viewers will have something to look forward to. There will be sheer excitement amongst the viewers. I'd definitely love to be on the hotseat with SRK. I wasn't a big fan of Shahrukh until I met him in Malaysia for a charity event. The way he interacted with the kids in spite of having an injury on his leg. He does not need to do all of this but yet he does it of his own free will. That's when I got to see another side of SRK all together.

Salil Ankola (Mahen from Karam Apnaa Apnaa): Shahrukh Khan is a brilliant person and its really great to know that he will be the next host of KBC. He has got a different style altogether and one cannot compare him to somebody else. He is unique. The way he projects himself. I'd love to be on the hotseat with SRK. Who wouldn't?

Gautam Rode (Lucky from Lucky): Well Shahrukh Khan is great! He will do wonders for KBC. People will have something new to look out for on KBC. I am a big SRK fan and off course I'd love to see myself on the hotseat with SRK.

Rucha Gujarati (Suhana from Bhabhi): Well, SRK taking over the role of host of KBC after Amitabh is a difficult task. But Shahrukh will give KBC a new face value altogether. KBC I think now would be light hearted and humorous instead of the tensed and strict atmosphere it earlier had. I would love to see Amitabh be on the hotseat with Shahrukh. This would be an episode worth watching. I am a die-hard SRK fan. Infact I have watched DDLJ nearly 30-40 times. I love his acting and I feel he is perfect for romance. If I'm seated with Shah Rukh on the hotseat, I'd be completely hypnotized in front of him. Instead of winning prize money I'd come back with a BIG Zero.

Manoj Bohra (Prem from Kasautii Zindagi Kay): Well Shah Rukh definitely appeals to today's generation. I think he is the most apt person to host KBC after Mr. Bachchan. He's energetic, witty and he'll add a lot more zest to the show. I'd be waiting to see AB on the hotseat with SRK. Well I am an SRK fan. But I don't want be on the hotseat with Shah Rukh that's because I don't want to come face to face with him on a non-fictional show. I have bigger plans.

Pulkit Samrat (Lakshya from Kyunki Saas): Shah Rukh is very different. He has his own unique style, a great stylish look and a fantastic personality...So one can expect the best from him. I am an SRK fan and I'd definitely like to see myself with him on the hotseat for KBC.

Prachee Shah (Kesar from Kesar): Mr. Bachchan is Mr. Bachchan and a Shah Rukh is a Shah Rukh. I'm a huge Bachchan fan but that doesn't mean I don't like SRK. SRK is truly very popular and has a huge fan following among the youth. It will be a good change. I'm sure he will have a new look and would love to see him on television after a long break. It's a reality show and will be something to look forward to. I have worked with Shah Rukh in the movie 'Hey Ram' where we had done a song together. He's a good gentleman and would definitely love to be on the hot-seat with him.

Fluky ShahRukh Khan re-inventing from Don to KBC

The story above is a satire or parody. It is entirely fictitious.


Money Matters...

He may be regarded has the biggest fluke in the history of Cinema but the 41 year old Bollywood self proclaimed Badshah of Hits like Dil Se, Swades, Ashoka, Paheli and even Guddu, movies that won the heart of many and helped maintain Khan's superstardom throughout the years.But when it comes to Khan he claims to have met his match with the up-coming TV game based around the popular "kaun banega carorpati".

Earlier, KBC as it is well known in India, made a TV record when the Biggest Badshah and Living Legend Amitabh Bachchan was the host, he made it fashionable for mainstream actors to indulge in the small screen and at the age of 64 Mr Bachchan has moved on to do new things to progress in the name of entertainment paving way for youngsters to follow if they have the will power.

Khan who likes to thrive on success has been working hard for the past couple of years doing concerts, commercial ads and even dancing at weddings but recently he has been busy with dummy sets of KBC put in the actors house so he can practise being a perfect dost and not a host, has he nicely puts it.

In an exclusive interview on his new career move and how it feels to host the popular game show, this is what Khan had to say:

"I was approached from behind by Star TV who took me by surprise, I thought it was Karan. They wanted me to host the show after Mr Bachchan. I said to them I'm not interested unless the price is right, they said come on down".

Did you feel any insecurity hosting KBC after the Great Mr Bachchan?

"Well yes, I mean I cannot fit into his shoes, I have tried once when he went to pray into a Temple I managed to take off with them but sadly they were too big."

You seem to be in the shadow of Mr Bachchan lately like the re-make of his super hit film Don and now KBC, the media and people speculate a rift between you two?

"This is all in the mind of the media, I did Don due to the shortage of roles written for me I'm 41 and dancing around trees or even playing the romantic hero for the 21st time can get boring. I did KANK which was a movie about the great depression so I'm trying different things I needed the change and KBC came to me at the right time, thanks to Mr Bachchan".

What message to you have for all your fans around the world for the new year 2007?

"I would like to say a thank you for it's your faith in me that keeps me going, even when I'm giving you the same movie year in year out you amaze me every time with your warmth, hopefully I shall be back next year with Chak De, Om Shanti Om and Gangu Teli".

Well that was ShahRukh Khan speaking about his future plans and you will see more of him next year stay tuned.

http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s4i13098

Adspend to glitter World Cup, KBC-III

RATNA BHUSHAN

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2006 01:45:34 AM>

NEW DELHI: The first four months of the New Year are expected to mop up a combined ad spend of Rs 350-400 crore from World Cup and Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) 3 - the two of Indian television's biggest events in 2007.

Media sources say both these events could record the highest combined outlays in terms of ad spends and set the tone for the rest of the year. With STAR's ShahRukh Khan-hosted KBC-3 going on air in January and World Cup commencing two months later on SET Max, the respective broadcasting channels are leveraging scale to strike rich hauls.

"It's going to be the most exciting phase for Indian advertisers and could change the sagging fortunes of channels. Zee TV, for example, would be worried," said Sundar Raman, MD, north & east, Mindshare India. SET Max, which has already sold up to 80% inventory through non-terminable contracts and bulk deals, is hoping to gather Rs 220-250 crore from World Cup, say media buyers.

While Nokia and Reliance have tied up with Max as the tournament's co-presenters, associate sponsors include LG, Pepsi, Hero Honda, Videocon, ITC Foods, Maruti and the Aditya Birla group. "A large part of the channel's commercial interests have already been taken care of," said Kajal Malik, regional director, OMS.

SET, which did combined buys for ICC Champions Trophy (held earlier this year) and World Cup, is likely to generate Rs 400-450 crore from both cricketing events put together. Said Rohit Gupta, SET's EVP, ad sales and revenue management, "With a base of 65 million C&S households and assuming even an 80% reach, we will cut across to about 250 million people."

On average, for bulk deals inclusive of all matches, the going rate per 10-second spot is Rs 1.1-1.3 lakh now, against Rs 80,000 per 10 seconds in World Cup 2003. For Indo-Pak matches, rates could swell up to Rs 3 lakh per 10 sec.
STAR, on its part, is likely to mop up Rs 110-125 crore from KBC-3, with spot rates averaging at Rs 2.75 lakh to Rs 3 lakh per 10 seconds, say sources.

The channel is close to tying up with 10 associate sponsors for KBC-3, including Hyundai, UTI Mutual Funds and Videocon. Deals are being sealed for anywhere between Rs 7-10 crore per associate sponsor.

In addition to telecom partner and title sponsor Airtel, other brands SRK endorses like Pepsi, ICICI, Compaq, Emami, and ITC's Sunfeast, are likely to come on board through sponsorships or spot sales. "We will either sign sponsorship deals or buy spots on KBC - it's a platform we cannot miss out on," said Aditya Agarwal, director, Emami Group.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Adspend_to_glitter_World _Cup_KBC-III/articleshow/939981.cms

SRK's KBC promos start

It's time to make the seat hotter.



Star TV is pulling out all the stops to maximise viewer interest for its new version of Kaun Banega Crorepati, starring ShahRukh Khan.

After a teaser campaign revolving around how some questions can change a person's world, the channel launches the first full-fledged advertisement for the new show on Friday, December 29.

And what a mammoth advertisement it is. Clocking in at a tremendous 130 seconds, the theme film centres around a little kid, played by four-year old Shrey Bawa, pictured here on Khan's lap.

Growing up in Delhi, the child annoys everyone around him as he grows up constantly asking questions. His world is fed up and he leaves the capital behind in his search for answers.

His destination, Mumbai, gives our hero a whole new set of questions. But this time, he's on the receiving end as the city bombards him with queries.

Finally, we realise life has come full circle as the young boy has finally reached a place where he gets to ask all the questions. Enter King Khan, the new Kaun Banega Crorepati host.

SRK starts his Kaun Banega Crorepati on January 22 at 9 pm, Monday to Friday on Star Plus.

www.rediff.com

Amitabh Bachchan way ahead of Shah Rukh Khan: Survey

10th Jan 2007 14.22 IST
By Agencies



A survey by an independent media agency says that mega superstar Amitabh Bachchan way ahead of Shah Rukh Khan as 'a choice of host' for Kaun Banega Crorepati.

Optimum Media Solutions (OMS), Mudra's independent media agency, conducted a study titled EAR (Estimation of Audience Response) by taking the 'Junta's Vote' on their perception of the much talked about third season of KBC.

Interestingly, the 'junta' has vouched for Bachchan in terms of 'a choice of host'. The study points out that "Big B is clearly way ahead of King Khan, across generations, cities, gender and SECs. Nothing, or no one, beats the on-screen presence and charisma of Amitabh Bachchan."

The highly anticipated show has raised multiple questions regarding King Khan's competency as a quizmaster with obvious comparisons to the Big B. In this respect, OMS has attempted to fore tell the fate of KBC and has outlined the core objective of the survey, to estimate the response level of the viewers towards watching KBC with SRK as its anchor.

With a sample size of 200 men and women in each city among SECs A, B and C and age bracket of 25 - 44 years, the study was conducted across the three metros of the Hindi viewership belt (Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata).

Even though the study suggests that among all categories of viewers Bachchan remains the original choice as a host for the show, a large section of the sample (71 per cent) are willing to give SRK a chance before writing him off. Coupled with 21 per cent who will definitely continue watching KBC , a very high 92 per cent of viewers polled are going to 'try' the first few episodes of KBC.

This poses a scary thought for Star Plus, which has thrown in big monies (an estimated Rs 130 crores solely on sponsorships) for the revamped KBC.

Expectedly, a major chunk of the SRK loyalists consist of females, Delhiites, and the up-market segment, which bodes well for the advertisers aiming at women and higher SECs. Although 20 per cent of viewers polled are likely to remain loyal viewers, there are still 50 per cent of viewers who are ready to flirt with other options. This can be seen generally as the fallout of initial skepticism about the change in host for a 'host-centric' program like KBC.

What clearly emerges from this study is that, though compared unfavourably vis--vis Bachchan by all audience groups, the new host is definitely worth a bet for advertisers for the first few episodes, when the audience will 'check-out' SRK on the 'Hot Seat'. Which is why this 'sampling' phase will be so crucial to the show.

It also appears to be a long-term win-win situation for advertisers targeting Women and the Up-market segment of the population.

Optimum Media Solutions president Chandradeep Mitra said, "Given that the day of reckoning for Star Plus is drawing nearer with the impending launch of KBC-3, advertisers and the media fraternity is waiting with bated breath for the final verdict of the Indian viewers. Will they accept the 'Badshah' as the successor to the 'Shahenshah' in the 'Hot Seat'? Will they still be as loyal as they had been in the previous seasons of KBC? Will it be another successful venture for the Star Plus and be viable enough to rake in the advertising 'moolah'? Will it redefine Indian television viewing yet again by its star-glitz? All these can only be speculated upon as of now, and for an improved prediction, one needs to go to the viewers to feel the initial pulse and receptivity of the Indian audience."

http://apunkachoice.com/scoop/bollywood/20070110-1.html

Karan on SRK's hosting KBC

Excerpt from the article:

A question many are asking is about Karan Johar's role in bringing buddy ShahRukh Khan into the Star stable to host Kaun Banega Crorepati. K Jo has been with the channel for his Koffee With Karan series, his second season with them is nearly ready. So it does add up that Karan could've brokered the big fat deal between the channel and SRK.

Except that Karan himself has moved on to another channel. He explains, "As you can see I am on board with NDTV for their new entertainment channel. I will honour my commitment to Star for the second season of Koffee With Karan but after that I will be exclusive to NDTV. So it stands to reason that I couldn't possibly have got Shah Rukh to come to Star when I was myself moving out of the channel." QED.

"But yes, purely as a friend, I was part of the decision-making with Shah Rukh when the offer was made to him. They're paying him a truckload of money for it and he'll make a smashing host because he's witty, charming and articulate." One must also add that Shah Rukh is at ease with Hindi and English.

Additionally, he has the heartwarming quality of never talking down to anybody. AB also has his warmth but there have been occasions when he has asked a contestant if he/she has ever seen this much money in his/her life. Coming from such a wealthy man, it invariably sounded petty and patronising.

If he avoids such slips, SRK should do just fine in that seat.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061203/asp/look/story_7078619 .asp

STAR seeks a desperate fit for Shah Rukh in 'KBC'

Sapna Nair

agencyfaqs!
MUMBAI, January 2


The kid questions, "Uncle, uncle, ye neechey karne se kya hoga?"


Questioning a man, accompanied by a woman, at a party, "Ye doosri waali aunty hai na?"


Asking another question in high school.


Mumbai, the place where he arrives to get the answers to his questions.


At the barber shop, amazed at the questions being asked of him.


On the hot seat.


"Kuchh sawaal zindagi badal saktey hain."
Since the day ShahRukh Khan was announced as the host of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati—III', replacing the hugely popular Amitabh Bachchan, speculation has been rife on whether Khan will be able to create the same magic as his predecessor.

It would seem that even STAR has realised that Khan could meet with some negativity from the viewers, especially firm Bachchan fans. This is evident from the game show's latest television promo, which tries to prove Khan's questioning prowess and his skills as a quizmaster.

The film traces the journey of SRK's life right from the time he was an inquisitive kid till he was stumped by even more curious people in the city. His questions emerged in the classrooms, in the lift, at parties and everywhere you could imagine. His questions always irritated, amused, embarrassed and perplexed everyone around him. But he almost never got the answers to his questions.

The film then depicts the second phase of his life, when he and his mass of questions sets foot in the city of dreams, Mumbai. And that's when he discovers the questioning nature of the city, leaving him amazed, but not devoid of an opportunity.

In the next scene, Khan is seated on the hot seat, ready to question the world, implying that his questioning nature has paid off. "Kuchh sawaal zindagi badal saktey hain (Some questions can change your life)," he declares.

Ajay Vidyasagar, executive V-P, marketing and communication, STAR India, agrees that the film is aimed to strike an emotional connect between the viewers and Khan. But he adds quickly that the communication also announces the new season of 'KBC'.

Vidyasagar believes strongly that with Khan as its host, the game show will be as endearing to the youth as it is for the family.

Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar, creative director, O&M, the agency which conceptualised the film, voices a similar view. "Yes, this film is SRK centric," he says.

But it was a challenge for O&M to portray Khan in an interesting way while maintaining the essence of the communication. "Shah Rukh has brought different brand values to the show, whether it is through his style/persona or his fan followers," says Mahabaleshwarkar.

The film takes further the first promo rolled out by STAR for 'KBC', 'Aapki zindagi kis sawaal se badlegi (Which question will change your life)?'

This communication is remarkably different from the earlier 'KBC-Singer' commercial. Mahabaleshwarkar agrees, "We consciously wanted to change the communication while retaining the core values of the show." He explains that unlike this one, the earlier TVCs were jingle based with complementary visuals.

This long commercial will be followed by another one, with a similar storyline but different situations, and then there will be a final communication featuring Khan talking to the viewers. The marketing activities, which are yet to roll out, will include press, on-ground activities and the Internet.

http://www.agencyfaqs.com/news/stories/2007/01/02/16752.html

Mumbai Mirror looking'07 ahead

Small screen, big EXPECTATIONS

Couch potatoes can get set to aim their remote control at…



Kaun Banega Crorepati

Will the 'King Khan' brand emerge victorious once again because of KBC? If the current on-air promos are anything to go by, the show might just be bigger and better than the previous version. Against all apprehensions, that the new version's ratings will not match those of the previous versions hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, the sponsors are keeping their fingers crossed for the biggest telly event of 2007. With the biggest stars of Bollywood- Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan being at loggerheads, this is just the opportunity for SRK to prove that he can step into Big B's shoes, as he proved in the remake of Don.

http://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mmpaper.aspx?page=article §id=12&contentid=20070101023809687f28e5479

Shah Rukh can't wait to occupy 'KBC' hot seat

By Arpana, IANS
glamsham.com
January,6.2007

View SRK 'Dons' KBC Avtaar - Picture GalleryUnfazed by comparisons to Amitabh Bachchan, ShahRukh Khan is busy rehearsing for "Kaun Banega Crorepati" (KBC) and basking in the buzz created by the promos.

The stage is set for the third innings of STAR Plus's KBC, which is to go on air Jan 22. Shah Rukh is all set to win the audiences over if the warm ad campaign is any indication.

"Shah Rukh is a general knowledge freak and I am a general knowledge fan too. I am eagerly waiting for the show to go on air. Comparisons are unfounded because Shah Rukh has his own style and he will do it in his own way," Nikhil Advani, who directed the star in "Kal Ho Naa Ho", told IANS.

Shah Rukh's determination to win had him put up mock sets of the KBC show at his home - Mannat - so that he could practise. He reportedly rehearses five hours daily with friends like Karan Johar, Farah Khan and Ganesh Hegde.

According to a study by Hansa Research for Optimum Media Solutions, Amitabh is more popular as an anchor among all age groups and genders.

The research showed that 71 percent of those who participated in the poll are willing to give the programme an initial try while eight percent will not watch it at all and 21 percent will watch all episodes.

"Shah Rukh is a phenomenal guy and he is not going to play any role on this show. He is going to be what he is, a very down to earth, humble guy. He will be extremely charming and people are going to have more lighter moments on the show because he is determined to make them happy," said Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar, the creative director of O&M, which conceptualised the promos.

The research explored host preference, interest in programme, changes expected by viewers, reaction time, competitive slots and implication for advertisers. As expected Shah Rukh has more takers among women and younger audiences.

Download Shahrukh Khan Wallpapers"I am getting more calls from female journalists. This shows his popularity among women. I am not a diehard Shah Rukh fan, but I have seen him rehearsing for the show and have changed my opinion about him. He is vibrant, hardworking and extremely energetic. I am confident that he will be able pull it off very well," added Mahabaleshwarkar.

The format of the game show will stay with minor changes - the set has been changed and the background will be red.

"Bachchan is like a sky for us that's why the colour was blue but main is desh ka lal hoon (I am this country's darling) so the colour is red," explains Shah Rukh.

Even though KBC will coincide with the World Cup, the response from sponsors was overwhelming. According to media reports, KBC has raked in over Rs.1 billion for its third innings.

Paritosh Joshi, president - sales and distribution - of STAR India, said: "We at STAR do not comment on revenue and we have not bothered to confirm or deny the reports. But I will say that we have done exceedingly well and have earned handsome revenue from the show.

"But the fact is that we didn't negotiate very hard because the client's interest was very, very high."

Joshi also said that cricket poses no threat to KBC.

"Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainty and the advertisers don't get the value for money that is promised. But KBC is a unique show, which has a universal appeal because we are a knowledge-conscious society. It is a truly family-viewing show and the risk is factor is not so high," he added.

Download Shahrukh Khan WallpapersLast year's sponsors Airtel, Hyundai and Cadbury are joined by new players Pantaloon Retail (Big Bazaar), Godrej Sara Lee, UTI Mutual Fund, Videocon, Godrej Sara Lee, Jyothi Lab, Big Bazaar and the UB group. Replacing Nokia is Motorola this time.

However, two decisions are yet to be made - the bank issuing the cheques and a replacement for the famous "Lenovo" computer.