KBC 3(with srk) : Concept and Articles - Page 4

The KBC mantle passes on to Shah Rukh

By Subhash K. Jha, IANS



STAR CEO Samir Nair is confident that superstar Shah Rukh Khan will step into Amitabh Bachchan's shoes with ease when he takes over as the new host of "Kaun Banega Crorepati" (KBC), which goes on air from mid-January next year.

"I think Shah Rukh will do a fantastic job. He'll bring his own unique charm to the show. Like Mr. Bachchan, Shah Rukh is smart and bright.

"We all remember the celebrity episode on KBC which he did. It was one of our best episodes. He brought his own encyclopaedia, did his research and almost won the crore. He'll bring a new spin to the show," Nair told IANS.

Amitabh, who not only hosted the first two innings of KBC, but also spearheaded the channel's movement towards TRP-topping manoeuvres that have stood the channel in good stead for over five years, is no longer going to be seen in the host's seat.

Nair attributes this startling change of guard to the original host's busy schedules.

"We pursued Mr. Bachchan for months. But he didn't seem to be very enthusiastic. In the meantime we acquired KBC rights in the season-format for years whereby we had to have the show on air for 52 episodes every year, or our rights lapsed. We just had to take a call.

"In the light of Mr. Bachchan's response, we had no choice but to think of someone else who was capable of taking on the mantle."

Shah Rukh is apparently very kicked by the game show.

"We were in talks from early November. In 2003, when KBC broke and there was talk that Mr. Bachchan might not do it, we had approached Shah Rukh. But nothing came of it.

"This time when we spoke to him in October he gave us dates immediately in January. It was our good fortune, good planning. We start telecast in mid-Jan, four times a week."

There seems to be a hurry to go on air.

"It's very simple. We do it before or after the World Cup. We're doing it before. I've a window of opportunity available now, why not? So, the question, will anyone be able to live up to Mr. Bachchan's reputation on the host's seat? I don't think we need to compare the two. It's like James Bond. You can't compare Sean Connery with Daniel Craig, or the two Dons."

STAR hopes to cultivate a new breed of viewership.

"We're forever indebted to Mr. Bachchan for doing KBC and legitimising our channel per se. He made it all happen. Now the mantle passes on. And no one better to take it on than Shah Rukh Khan who interestingly enough comes from television (he did serials on Doordarshan before films). He has a soft corner for the medium.

"As satellite television in India moves forward, we need someone like Shah Rukh to take that movement forward. I'm very kicked. I've always been a super-fan of Mr. Bachchan. We at STAR spoke to him about renewing KBC. But after a point we had to respect his wishes. To be honest, Shah Rukh asked me if he doesn't do KBC, then what. I told him, then we would have a problem."

There will be no radical change in the show.

"Same lifelines, same Rs.2-crore prize money and the set remains the same," assures Samir.

Finally, what sort of fee has exchanged hands?

"It's adequate," laughs Nair.

As adequate as it was for Mr. Bachchan? "Yes, more than adequate," comes the reply.

http://www.glamsham.com/movies/scoops/06/nov/30_kbc_mantle_p asses_on_to_shah_rukh_khan.asp

Shah Rukh spells moolah for KBC 3


STAR'S BIG BUCKS: Kaun Banega Crorepati-3 is betting on big moolah from ad sponsors.

Ramya Ramamurthy
CNN-IBN

Posted Thursday , November 30, 2006 at 20:08
Updated Thursday , November 30, 2006 at 20:33

Mumbai: Kaun Banega Crorepati—scrumptious fodder for those addicted to the idiot box is returning back this time with the Bollywood's biggest brand name Shah Rukh Khan.

While the much hyped quiz show is going to be a respite from lackluster saas-bahu saga on television, Star Plus is counting big time on KBC to rake in big moolah.

KBC 2 anchored by Amitabh Bachchan charged the sponsors over Rs 3 lakhs for a 10 second spot and around Rs 20 crores for each episode. This time with Bollywood's hottest star Shahrukh Khan making appearance on the small screen, the stakes are going to be even higher.

KBC 3 will have 104 episodes and for each episode Khan will be paid around Rs 30-50 lakh. With such high figures and even higher popularity, the sponsor and spot rates on the show are bound to inflate. Star is counting big time on SRK's charm to woo the advertisers.

"Next week we are meeting clients in Delhi and Mumbai. We will tell them about the details of the show. KBC is back four times a week from Monday to Thursday 9 to 10 pm with Shahrukh Khan in it. We are expecting a huge premium out of it," Star Entertainment India CEO, Sameer Nair said.

The show will go on air from January next years and will be slotted between 9 to 10 pm, for days a week. The channel heads say that the show timings have been positioned keeping in mind the cricket World Cup that starts in March next year.

However, with previous sponsors Nokia and LG having already invested Rs 20 - 45 crore on cricket, will KBC sponsorship run into rough weather? Is it going to be tough for the show to find big-ticket sponsors?

"KBC is certainly going to be a big thing in 2007. Post cricket it would be on top of our priority but a lot depends on the TRP's it will be able to deliver. Since Shah Rukh Khan anchoring it, of course it will rank high but at the same time it might conflict with the brands he has endorsed," LG Marketing Head, Sandeep Tiwari said.

Star has converted the show to an annual seasonal one with a 13 week run. And with a brand new 5-year contract with former owner Celador, Star seems willing to bet on KBC for a long run.

Video Link:

http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/27419/shah-rukh-spells-moolah- for-kbc-3.html

Article: http://www.ibnlive.com/news/srk-is-k...h/27419-7.html

SRK's KBC press con on Dec 5th

Faridoon Shahryar, IndiaGlitz [Saturday, December 02, 2006>



Three letters that spell magic. Three letters that spell excitement. Three letters that every Indian knows….KBC is back with its new host Shahrukh Khan. Well, that's the text of the invite we received from Star Plus yesterday. And it also added that SRK will be answering the media on his decision to become the next host for the hugely popular game show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' in a press conference on Tuesday, December 5th.

Well, after the news was broken last Sunday that King Khan is going to take over from where Big B left, we did a little public opinion on who you think makes a better choice for being the host of 'KBC'. An overwhelming majority of people were of the opinion that it would be impossible for Shahrukh to get into Bachchan's shoes as he doesn't have the same mass appeal. A few others said that Big B's humility was his biggest asset while SRK's arrogance will not go down well the family audience.

The one's who did favour SRK was a bunch of college girls, a couple of school kids and an NRI shopping in Lokhandwala. Well, that's exactly the market SRK caters to: The youngsters, kids and the overseas crowd. They were of the opinion that SRK will surely add his own. And, what about the rumours that he is supposedly being paid a whopping Rs 280 crores for hosting the show? "He deserves it…," answered a college girl with the squeal of a diehard fan.

So, what do you think….Who makes a better host…SRK or Big B (Or is it being unfair on SRK considering we haven't seen even the first episode). And does Shahrukh deserve all the money that he is rumouredly going to get?

www.indiaglitz.com

Kaun banega No 1

Coomi Kapoor (Indian Express)
Posted online: Sunday, December 03, 2006 at 0000 hrs IST

The cold war between the Big B and King Khan is hotting up. Amitabh Bachchan was piqued that ShahRukh Khan had reprised his Don role in a new movie of that name. But what really put the fat into the fire is Shah Rukh stepping into Bachchan's shoes for the Kaun Banega Crorepati show.

Bachchan withdrew from the show he made famous when he suddenly fell ill last year. After he recovered, Star TV re-negotiated with him for another 150 episodes in a fresh contract. The snag was that the channel insisted Bachchan first complete the pending 26 episodes, for which it had paid in advance. When negotiations broke down, an annoyed Bachchan dispatched a cheque as refund for the unfinished episodes.

Star then turned to SRK, who after initial reluctance, agreed to step in, particularly when the price per episode has more than doubled. At this point Bachchan reportedly had second thoughts. But by then it was too late. Star had finalized the deal with SRK in Australia.

www.indianexpress.com

Karan Johar on SRK's KBC deal

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.

Telegraph India

Small article in India Today

The Quiz Master

This Badshah has every plan to step into the Big B's shoes. Shah Rukh Khan will replace Amitabh Bachchan as the host of Star Plus' hit game show Kaun Banega Crorepati "in its Gen-Next avatar". "It is an intelligent show. I think I look passable in suits and my day job is fulfilling. This is a great evening job. It will give me a chance to interact with the audience in a lively way," says Khan. Time for Kkkkkaun Banega Crorepati, folks.

Bad'show' Khan!

By: Upala KBR and Tushar Joshi
December 3, 2006


Chehre pe chehra: SRK and Big B share a light moment in KANK, but the truth tells a different story

Sources in the industry affirm that the cold war between Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan has intensified after Khan snatched Kaun Banega Crorepati 3 right from under the Big B's nose. The battle lines have been quietly but irrevocably drawn. Even their cliques are now clearly defined.

Icy vibes

If Amitabh Bachchan has firmly aligned himself with Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh and Anil Ambani, Shah Rukh makes his political and social affiliations equally evident by hobnobbing with Sonia Gandhi and her family and attending Nita Mukesh Ambani's birthday party.

The tension between the two sides has been cleverly concealed until now, but the cracks were obvious at Sikander Kher's (Anupam and Kirron Kher's son) birthday party last month. The vibes between the Bachchan clan (represented by Jaya, Amitabh, Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai) and Shah Rukh Khan were I-C-Y.

Reveals a source present at the do, "The party was in full swing until SRK walked in at 2 am. He went up to Mr Bachchan and greeted him. Mr Bachchan is always polite, so he greeted SRK cordially. But the rest of the Bachchan parivar looked through him. Even though Jayaji is very fond of Shah Rukh, none of them can overlook what he's been doing to Mr Bachchan."

'Ash'es to dust

The source adds that the Bachchans, along with Ash and a few friends, were seated at one table and Shah Rukh took the table directly opposite them. "After greeting each other and exchanging formal hellos, it was evident that Bachchan and Khan wanted to their own space. Throughout the night, not a single word was exchanged between the camps. In fact, SRK wanted to strike up a conversation with Ash but since she was stuck to Abhishek's side, it became impossible."

It may be recalled that Aishwarya still has to forgive Shah Rukh for unceremoniously ousting her from his home production, Chalte Chalte, replacing her with Rani Mukerji. SRK reportedly showed her the door after her then boyfriend Salman Khan wreaked havoc on the sets.

And now with SRK's doing KBC3 — which was AB's property until now — Khan has made matters worse. It is learnt that Amitabh is quite miffed with Star and their attitude during his illness. A source says, "Mr Bachchan was literally told to come back to work after his illness and shoot some episodes. He put his foot down and refused. Things started going downhill from that point onwards."

SRK's announcement hasn't come as a surprise to anyone. An insider reveals, "Samir Nair has been wanting to get Shah Rukh onboard for quite some time. This reached Amitabh's ears even before a formal announcement was made."

Putting up an act

Says a source known to the Bachchans, "All this talk about Mr Bachchan not being interested in doing KBC3 is hogwash. He had almost committed to doing it when SRK lobbied hard and pipped him to the post. He's deeply hurt at the way SRK has gone about the whole thing but prefers not to talk about it."

As has always been the case, the hostilities will remain shrouded behind a wall of fake civility from both sides. The warring factions continue to deny problems and address each other respectfully in public.

A filmmaker on the condition of anonymity says, "There is definitely a war brewing between SRK and the Bachchans, but no star, producer or director likes to wash their dirty linen in public. When there is a problem, they will sort it out between themselves."

Neither Amitabh Bachchan nor Sameer Nair of Star returned our SMSes to comment on the story.

http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2006/december/147737.htm

I hope to bring my personality into KBC: Shah Rukh

New Delhi, Dec 4 (IANS)

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who succeeds Amitabh Bachchan as the new host of STAR Plus' highly popular game show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati', said Monday he would try to bring his personality into the show even while making sure it did not lose its earlier appeal.

'It's very special for me because I am going to host such a beautiful show,' Khan said at a press conference here. He was named to host the show last week in place of Bachchan who steered the show from 2000 for two seasons.

'It is very, very close to my heart like to the millions and billions of people in the country. It is smart, classy, cool and hopefully I will not bring it down and keep it as it was earlier,' Shah Rukh said. The show goes on air in January next year.

To a question, he said: 'The show has a set format. In fact, it has an international format. And I hope, I will bring my personality into it. Undoubtedly, the current popularity of the show is due to Mr. Bachchan and I hope I maintain that.'

'I am honoured that Sameer Nair (CEO STAR Entertainment India) and Siddharth Basu (quiz master) thought that I am good enough to join the show.'

'The second part of my happiness is that I am being able to do it in my city of joy, that is New Delhi. I am also very happy that once again I am coming back on television from where I started my career.'

Commenting upon the format of the show he said: 'We will surely present it in a new way. There would be something new in the show. You will find changes in the format. Technically also we have moved ahead - like the number of phone calls and SMSes have gone up. As far as the actual creativeness is concerned, we will start working on it now.'

Nair, who was present at the conference, said that KBC was the most important show of STAR because it had boosted its ratings and catapulted it to No. 3 from No. 7.

'We have signed a fresh contract and now KBC will be on air till 2012, but it is going to be a seasonal thing. We will have 52 to 60 episodes per calendar year,' said Nair.

Nair said he was confident that Shah Rukh Khan would take the show on the road to success.

'When Amitabh Bachchan declined the offer we thought Shah Rukh is the only person to carry it further. We are thankful to him for accepting the challenge.'

Basu was equally confident about Shah Rukh, and said: 'Shah Rukh is classy, charming and smart. He is one of the most entertaining actors. He is going to be superb on the show because he has got the wit and intelligence.'

The show will be telecast four days a week - Monday to Thursday.

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/india/news/article_122936 2.php/I_hope_to_bring_my_personality_into_KBC_Shah_Rukh%0D%0 A_LEAD_

Big B's shoes too big for me: SRK

Piyali Dasgupta
[ 4 Dec, 2006 1842hrs ISTINDIATIMES NEWS NETWORK >



NEW DELHI: He wants to be "the dost and not the host", on TV. When Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) returns to Star Plus in mid-January 2007, Bollywood's badshah will be at the helm. On a nippy December Monday, SRK hosted a plethora of questions from eager Delhi scribes on why he wants to play anchor-quizmaster this time around.

KBC in its new GenNext avatar marks the return of Shah Rukh Khan on TV. Many years ago, popular television serials formed the launch pad for his meteoric film career.

There were other seconds as SRK was presented as the new KBC host. The idea of bringing Who Wants to be a Millionaire to an Indian audience was conceived of at the same deluxe hotel which was the venue for Monday's event. SRK was a celebrity participant in Bachchan's KBC and would have hit the jackpot, but for a last-minute blooper.

The dominant blue of Amitabh Bachchan's KBC set has been replaced by a vibrant red, though the logo remains the same.



A dapper SRK, accompanied by equally dapper bodyguards, took the stage, along with the CEO of Star Entertainment India, Sameer Nair and Siddhartha Basu of Synergy Communications. KBC continues to be produced by Basu's Synergy Communications.

Announcing the launch of KBC , Sameer Nair said SRK's wit, charm, energy and style, coupled with the rock-solid foundation of the show, would come together to give audiences an incredible television viewing experience.

SRK was repeatedly asked why he chose to frequently follow Bachchan's indubitable lead. In trademark style, SRK said comparisons de-valued an actor. "Bachchan saab ka joota waise bhi mere liye kaafi bara hai, "he said eloquently.

KBC did wonders for Bachchan's career when the superstar was going through a bad patch professionally. Asked if he was vacating the Bollywood badshah's slot for Hrithik Roshan or Abhishek Bachchan, Shah Rukh said: "Without an abdication there can be no crowning of another king. Forgive me if I am sounding pompous, but I am here and I am staying."

With films and live shows, was Shah Rukh spreading himself too thin? "I have been working on three films per year for the last 17 years. Also some live shows and I have other engagements. This is a job like any other and we have worked out timelines," was the star's reply.



Incidentally, SRK's son Aryaan had urged him to take up KBC only if 'Crorepati Uncle' would not do it any more. Sameer Nair clarified that Bachchan had intimated to Star as early as July this year that he would not continue with the show. SRK had prepared for about a month when he was a participant on KBC .

This time around, as host or rather the dost, on TV, it's no different. He plans to "look up old issues of newspapers on the Net." Take it with a pinch of salt, but one thing is sure, he plans to approach the anchor's role (and Siddhartha Basu dubs him as one who is a natural anchor) with the same tenacity and effort he puts in his films, or live shows.

What's the real reason for SRK making an appearance on TV again? He wants a way in which he can connect with the common man. "As actors, the nature of our jobs makes it difficult to be in touch with ordinary people. This is one way I can be in touch."

With the launch of KBC , Star India signed a 5-year contract with Celador (the creator of the original show) for this format. The deal incorporates both the format and programme license, and is the longest continuing license that has ever been granted for the global show.

So will SRK do a Big B on TV? One hopes not. Rather KBC , the stakeholders and the public would want Shah Rukh to just say, Main Hoon Na .

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/Entertainment/India_ Buzz/Big_Bs_shoes_too_big_for_me_SRK/articleshow/msid-711303 ,curpg-1.cms

SRK: Comparisons should never be made

Onkar Singh in New Delhi
December 04, 2006 19:11 IST

Tired of being asked about taking over from Amitabh Bachchan as the host of the television game show, Kaun Banega Crorepati, ShahRukh Khan finally snapped and said that comparisons should never be made.

"You should not play down a person for the sake of playing up a person," SRK stated at a press conference in New Delhi to announce the launch of KBC.

SRK praised Bachchan for giving the programme a unique identity in the first and second season of KBC. "How can I step into his shoes? His feet are so big," he said.

Thoughout his interaction with the media, SRK maintained his calm and replied to the questions with a touch of humour.

"Amitji took this programme to new heights, and now, I have to live up to the expectatons. I am happy that I am coming back to the small screen and would soon be entering your bedrooms!" SRK exclaimed. "But let me clarify that I will not be the host, but the dost of my audience. This programme has given me an opportunity to interact with the audience and I am sure I will be able to make a place for myself in your hearts."

Reacting to a question that KBC happened to Bachchan when he was in a poor financial condition, SRK defended the Big B by saying, "He is an icon and it is not fair to talk about him in such a manner."

"I do three films a year and I will stick to this schedule," SRK continued. "I have made a commitment to Star Plus and I will have to find time to carry out my commitment."

When a scribe asked him who the next Bollywood king would be, SRK answered that there was no vacancy. "You find a new king when the old one abdicates. At the moment, you have a king," he smiled.

When asked whether he asked his son, Aryan, before he took up the show, SRK replied, "Yes, I told him that Sameer uncle (Nair, CEO, Star Entertainment, India) wanted me to take up the job of anchor of KBC. He told me promptly that I should do it only if Crorepati Uncle refuses. When I told him that Amitji has already refused, he was sad. I am confident he will forget it soon once the prgramme is on air."

By hosting KBC, SRK will make a comeback to television, where he started his career in shows like Fauji and Circus.

Would he like to have Bachchan as a guest on his show? SRK said that he would go on his knees to Amitji and drive him back to the studio in a Santro -- the car which he endorses -- if the Big B agreed.

rediff.com