KBC 3(with srk) : Concept and Articles - Page 27

AP File

INTERVIEW

'I Just Hope I'm Shahrukh Khan. No One Else.'

Soon after his debut, Shahrukh Khan spoke about the inevitable comparisons with the Big B and how he loves KBC because he gets to wear good suits and comb his hair. Excerpts:

Namrata Joshi interviews Shahrukh Khan

How do you feel about the audience response to the show?

My work is to entertain, and people are telling me that the show is entertaining, so I guess I've achieved what I wanted to. If I've been able to make you smile once in that one hour, my job is done. As India's top entertainer, I've generated curiosity for the show. The opening has been good. I hope the follow-up will be as nice.

How well do you think you have accomplished the challenge?

Every job is an accomplishment. Only here the stakes were higher. It was a big challenge not just because of Mr Bachchan but because it's anyhow a big programme. It's like a big movie. And people I'm working with are happy with what we have achieved so far.

Did it bother you that not many people were willing to give you a chance against Mr Bachchan? Do the comparisons trouble you?

If I say I don't give a damn about such opinions, I'd come across as pompous. If I say I care, I'd come across as bogged down. All I'll say is, I just do my job as a creative person. Every day when I wake up, I just hope I am Shahrukh Khan; no one else. I don't want to be less or more than anyone else. I don't want to be fatter, shorter, darker, thinner, better than someone else. I just want to be the best at who I am and what I do. I am not stressed or saddened by comparisons. The world has not been unfair to me. There are many who dislike me. But thankfully those who like me outnumber those who don't. What's important is, they talk about me. They react, so I do matter.

Are our viewers resistant to change?

That's not true. Otherwise they wouldn't have accepted me all those years ago as the bad guy hero. People of a certain era may hold on to things but there's a whole new generation too.

What drove you to do the show?

I get my pay packet as an actor so that wasn't the only issue, though I wouldn't have done it if the money wasn't good. It's the topmost show—classy, has great minds working on it. Most of all, I enjoy meeting people. But I'm seldom able to do so because I'm stuck in the studio. I've been dealing with fans on stage on a one-on-one basis in live shows. I wanted to carry that forward. I also get to wear good suits and comb my hair!

How have your wife and children reacted to you on KBC?

The kids are loving it. They're wondering how my hair is so well-groomed. Their teacher has given me an A Grade for the show so they're happy. And they can't believe I could have sung the English rap for the music video. Gauri likes it. She's happy that my humour has remained in control, not become offensive as it can get.

How did you manage to bring your touch within the fixed format?

The show has been a big success the world over without celebrity hosts, so there must be something to it. There are rules but I've brought my own personality to the show, stretched it a bit. I've tried to bring in a relaxed, happy-go-lucky air. I'm trying out funny, impromptu ways of going into the break. I will introduce new elements every 10 episodes. Maybe one day I'll be able to host the show in a T-Shirt and jeans.

Is the cheeky sense of humour deliberate on your part?

I believe in times of trouble one thing that can help you is your sense of humour. The new generation in India has developed a sense of humour, we have begun laughing at ourselves and are enjoying that. However, the idea is not to be mean or deride anyone.

Is what we are seeing on TV really you or you as a performer?

In the last 17 years, I've developed a camera persona. But this is the most real you can find me when the camera is on.I do hug people and give flying kisses to kids. Much as you would like to imagine, I'm not materialistic, I do give gifts to people (referring to the episode where he gave away his watch to a losing contestant).

Would CEO Sameer Nair's exit from Star affect the show?

We're very fond of each other. Frankly, I don't know what he's planning. I've told him to stick around till I finish shooting in March. I hope he is around.

Has the Big B reacted to the show?

No, not as yet. It'll be nice if he tells me that I haven't let him down. Maybe one day he'll tell me 'dude you are not doing too badly at what I started'. He is too kind and gracious a gentleman.

http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20070205&fname= Crorepati&sid=2

Life beyond Big B

Amitabh is Amitabh and Shahrukh is Shahrukh said one wise old lady, interviewed on the nth channel about the relative merits of Big B and Shahrukh in the new Kaun Banega Crorepati. And who was it who said "comparisons are odious"? It does not really matter. But the hype surrounding the launch of the new KBC took up much more time on the small screen than the show itself.

Actually, both the above quotes are true. It was obvious that the producers were intent on giving a new, youthful look to the show, and Shahrukh got exuberantly into the act. He is always jumpy, even in real life and in interviews, and this proved a foil to Big B's sedate graciousness and sophisticated humour. A slight change of language, freeze for lock kar diya jaye and a hug instead of "I quit" added the minor changes of detail. Shahrukh went a trifle too far, perhaps, when he massaged the neck of a nervous contestant and gave a bear hug too many to departing contestants, but since the audience lapped it up, who are we to complain? Bollywood seems solidly behind Shah Rukh and so were the majority of viewers interviewed, particularly the aam log.

Old cynics like me did notice that Shahrukh was nervous, he admitted it himself, paid tributes to Big B, and who wouldn't be on such a momentous occasion? Smugness would have been worse and even the jumpiness was very much in Shahrukh's normal style. These are early days, anyway. I have been predicting for weeks that King Khan will pull it off. Just give him time to settle down.

It is to the credit of KBC that it attracted so much attention when Shilpa Shetty and London were very much in the top groove, with everyone from Shilpa's sophisticated mother to Farroukh Dhondy at his analytical, cynical best. But her publicity was political and international.

Meanwhile, in Jaipur, the cream of India's literati, in all languages this time, held forth in style. Barkha Dutt, who now wants to do everything herself, no matter how may talented colleagues can do it just as well, interviewed Rushdie at length and in case we missed it, it was repeated several times. Then she moderated his stage interview in Jaipur, but the sound was so bad that one could hardly make out what she or Rushdie were saying. Incidentally, his name was correctly pronounced as Roosh-dee by Barkha, the others preferred the way foreigners do, as Rush-dee. He called himself Roosh-die. Incidentally, its frequent repetition does not take away from the well researched and wide-ranging one- hour interview by Barkha, who interrupted less than usual.

The Australian Open has been riveting. The big stars being toppled, Murray giving a run for his money to Nadal, and, for our consolation, a woman commentator who talks as much off the point as Doordarshan's. But cricket fans, at the time of writing had been robbed of the exiting match between the West Indies and India, including Sourav's 98. One is only hoping at the moment that Das Munshi will get off his high horse and that the court will decide something that helps cricket lovers. It is a pity that none of the many channels and cameras around did not catch the blow on the back, the push or the slap for Guru Greg. And it was all for the wrong reasons even if it expressed the feelings of many Indian cricket lovers about the way he has handled Team India.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnist1.asp?main_variable=Col umnist&file_name=malik%2Fmalik160.txt&writer=malik

SRKs Impressive Performance in KBC

By: Planet Bollywood Special Correspondant


Star Plus' flagship show Kaun Banega Crorepati re-launched today (22 January) in a new avatar with Shah Rukh Khan as the host. SRK in his inimitable hip 'n humourous style not only gave KBC the much needed 'lifeline' but also managed to shed contestants' inhibitions. In the opening sequence of the show was an energetic and funny music video featuring SRK titled - 'Kar Le Kar Le Tu Ek Sawaal'. While this set the mood right for comeback of KBC; a friendly, suave and jovial Khan was a complete delight to watch.

He massaged one contestant's shoulders, gave him a nickname and also gave Compaq (the brand he endorses), a cool mind space among viewers. The computer was christened 'Compaq Da', if across him sat a Bengali contestant and 'Compaq Garu' if the contestant was Telugu. Mostly it was 'Mr Computer' which gave way to Amitabh Bachchan's 'Computer ji'.

KBC Dviteya's Prasenjit Sarkar Khan also made passing references to his predecessor. "This is for the first time in the history of any show that the contestant is the same and the host has changed," he joked to the roll over contestant from KBC Dviteya Prasenjit Sarkar. In fact one question was also based on what Bachchan's character was called in Karan Johar's film Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. Incidentally, Khan also starred in the movie.

Just like Bachchan gave in to requests made by contestants (it's difficult not to compare), Khan obliged his contestants by singing a song and that too in Bengali from one of his film. One contestant got stuck with a question on what is the red carrommen called in the game of Carrom? The options given were: (a) King, (b) Queen, (c) Knight and (d) Bishop. When the contestant got muffled with the question and was of the opinion that the correct answer might be option (a) – King; Khan quipped unabashedly, "It can't be King, because I am the only King!"

And if you didn't get enough of Shah Rukh on the show, you had the commercial breaks to look forward to where Khan was omnipresent. Brands he endorses like Videocon and Hyundai Santro took up bulk air time.

While Khan has replaced Amitabh Bachchan as the brand ambassador of ICICI Bank, the brand remained conspicuous by its absence on the show. In the previous seasons of KBC, (when Bachchan still endorsed the brand), ICICI cheques were presented to contestants who won on the show. This time round however, ICICI Bank cheques gave way to Union Bank of India cheques. The roll over contestant from KBC Dviteya Prasenjit Sarkar walked away with a booty of Rs 1,250,000.

King Khan joked and he laughed… along with him smiled viewers across India and but naturally Star officials. The strategy of roping in King Khan as a replacement to Big B seems to have paid off.

http://www.planetbollywood.com/displayArticle.php?id=0127070 92909

when comparisions are made then the real value of a person is lost...so plz dont make comparions.....if we start comparing SRK and AB, an AB fan wld say SRK is nothing...but he is EVEYRTHING in terms of someting else.

So dont make comparisions!

Big B says he got bored of KBC

ibnlive.com
Posted Sunday , January 28, 2007 at 14:51
Updated Sunday , January 28, 2007 at 19:07


HONEST CONFESSION: Big B says he was getting tired and bored of KBC when it wrapped up in 2005

Well, the Big B now says he was actually getting bored of Kaun Banega Crorepati by the time he had wrapped up KBC Dwitiya sometime in 2005. "I was getting tired and bored of KBC," the Big B told CNN-IBN on Sunday.

The remark comes close on the heel of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's revelation last week that he was waiting for the megastar to react to the third edition of Kaun Banega Crorepati, which went on air last week.

"I have not yet received any message from Bachchan saab. But, I wish he sees it and gives his reaction on how I am carrying on the show started by him," Shah Rukh told a TV interview this weekend. He said he was encouraged by the positive response he was getting to KBC from his family and friends in the film industry.

But by all accounts, it doesn't look as if the Big B is going to give full marks to SRK.

In a TV interview this weekend, the Big B for the first time made it public that there was indeed a rivalry between him and King Khan. "Yes, there is competition between the two of us. It is healthy to have competition," he said.

Television ratings show SRK's KBC witnessed a decline in the very first four days of the show. TV rating agency aMap's data showed King Khan's KBC started off on a steady note, but then showed signs of slipping barely three days into the week.

The show witnessed a steady decline from episode on episode. While the show initially got off to a good start with a 5.3 television rating (TVR), almost doubling its channel share in the 9 - 10 pm slot, the second episode saw the show plummet to 4.8 TVR. The third day saw a still steeper decline in ratings, with the show garnering only 3.5 TVR.

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/big-b-says-he-got-bored-of-kbc/t op/32237-8.html

Shah Rukh awaits Amitabh's opinion on KBC

28th Jan 2007 12.36 IST
By Agencies

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan says he is awaiting megastar Amitabh Bachchan 's response to the third edition of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), which went on air recently.

"I have still not received any message from Bachchan saab. But, I wish he sees it and gives his reaction on how I am carrying on the show started by him," Shah Rukh told NDTV in an interview.

He said he was encouraged by the positive response he was getting to KBC from his family and friends in the film industry.

"My children like my addressing the contestants as 'boys and girls' during the introductions," he said.

Meanwhile, Amitabh Bachchan, who was in Delhi on Saturday, told NDTV that he was unable to watch KBC 3 due to unavoidable reasons.

He promised that he would watch the programme soon and send his opinion to SRK.

"I'm sorry Shah Rukh, but I will watch it soon and then we will sit and talk," Amitabh told the channel.

http://apunkachoice.com/scoop/bollywood/20070128-0.html

Shah Rukh Khan: 'Knot' ready

Actor Shah Rukh Khan, in spite of being a father to two lovely children and a husband to a pretty wife, is still getting marriage proposals. As the host of a game show, all this is happening face to face.

Female contestants and those from the audiences are approaching him for marriage. They've been heard saying things like, "My hubby isn't in town, can we meet?" or then, "We know you are very loyal to your wife, but as per your religion you can marry more than once. So, you can marry me as well."

But SRK is just not the 'knotty' types.

http://movies.indiatimes.com/quickies/1503273.cms

Surviving SRK, by Gauri

Screen On & Off

Episode 4 of KBC saw contestant Vasu Jaitely, completely smitten by host SRK proposing marriage to King Khan. In Episode 5, Shah Rukh carries a letter from wife Gauri to rollover contestant Vasu, which he will read out on the Monday show at 9 pm.

In the letter Gauri warns Vasu that if she does go on to marry Shah Rukh, what is in store for her. "Yeh kab ghar aate hain, kab jaate hain, pata hi nahin chalta," she writes about the late hours SRK devotes to shooting everyday.

Then she writes about Shah Rukh's favourite pastime — spending hours in the bathroom. "Kabhi kabhi lagta hai, itna bada ghar lene ki zaroorat hi nahin thi... Four-bathroom-hall-kitchen hi achha tha!"

Finally Gauri writes about how Shah Rukh would snatch the children's toys and start playing with them, forget all the anniversaries in the family and some times even forget her name!

Watch out for this hilarious 'love triangle' on Monday, STAR Plus

Shobhaa De's article in TOI

Mumbai Times - Jan 29, 2007 Page 37

SRK's debut in the hot seat has been commented on ad nauseum in its first week. Let me add my two bit's worth to the raging debate: He's different (like the noodles).

No other comment necessary. SRK brings his own style to the show, and there'll always be people who either love it or hate it. That's what individualistic style is all about.

But one thing's for sure — SRK has the pulse of the aam janata. He is not a remote, aloof, robotic presenter with a "touch me not" sign hanging around his neck.

In his latest avatar, he comes across as a regular guy — accessible, fun, capable of laughing at himself and mercifully not on autopilot. The trouble is not SRK, but the fatigue factor of watching a ghasa peeta game show.

Every show has its high season. I fear this one may have had its super run. Audiences today need the thrill of reality TV, with its instant adrenaline rush and immediate high.

SRK may never scale the same height as his predecessor — but not through lack of excellence. In fact, Shah Rukh's 'jadoo ki jhappis' to losers is his smartest contribution to the show.

A warm hug from a superstar at prime time for LOSING? Hey, it can't get better than that! But I doubt that same jhappi can boost TRPs or salvage a dying format. Too bad.