KBC 3(with srk) : Concept and Articles - Page 8

"Mein hoon dhaarti ka laal," SRK!

by Debasis Jana



It started from 'Don', and the comparison is now more as he has been recently roped in for hosting Star's popular game show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati', formally which was done by Amitabh Bachchan.
But King Khan is not bothered by the comparison, people drew between him and Amitabh. "It's obvious that people will compare us. But I have always said that I will try and be myself on the show," he said while addressing media at a recent press meet.
When asked why the background color of KBC from blue to red, SRK came up with his own witty interpretation. "Amitabh Bachchan is like a stalwart, he's like a sky, so they used blue for him. Aur mein hoon dhaarti ka laal, (I am a son of the soil) so they have used red for me," he smiled.

http://www.indiatarget.com/cgi-bin/detailnews.cgi?id=3962

The Economic Times Online

Printed from economictimes.indiatimes.com > New@ET> Business of Brands

Star locks Airtel, Hyundai, UTI MF as KBC-3 sponsors

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2006 12:31:15 AM>

NEW DELHI: The SRK effect has started to show on the business prospects of Mr Rupert Murdoch. Star Plus has struck sponsorship deals with Airtel, Hyundai and UTI Mutual Funds for Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC-3). Both Airtel and Hyundai will be the associate sponsors for KBC-3 as the star anchor of the game show is their brand ambassador.

According to sources, Hyundai and UTI Mutual Funds will spend a total of close to Rs 26 crore for being associate sponsors. However with Airtel, which is also the telecom partner and title sponsor for KBC-3, Star has struck a bulk deal which is learnt to be almost double than the amount being spent by the other two brands.

The broadcaster will add seven more brands to the associate sponsors' list in the coming week. The associate sponsorship deal alone would bring about Rs 150 crore to Star's kitty. The broadcaster will earn an additional amount out of spot buys and a series of related activities including in-show product placements and merchandising & licensing. The latter is expected to fetch an additional Rs 10 crore for the company.

Paritosh Joshi, president, ad sales & distribution, Star India confirmed to ET, "We have stuck deals with Airtel, Hyundai and UTI Mutual Funds as associate sponsors and Airtel will be our telecom partner and title sponsor too." Star expects to sell all associate sponsors' spots within a week.

As per the telecom partnership deal, customers subscribing to Airtel and BSNL will be able to enter the game show. "The Phone-A-Friend helpline would also be ours. Besides, we will run a scheme for Airtel subscribers to enter the game even after the registration has closed," says Gopal Vittal, chief marketing officer, Bharti Airtel.

On the other hand, Korean automaker Hyundai is still working out details about its association with KBC-3, besides being an associate sponsor. "SRK is our brand ambassador, the reason we chose to become associate sponsors. We are still working out ways through which we can collaborate with the show," says Arvind Saxena, vp-marketing, Hyundai India.

For UTI Mutual Fund, it's clearly the first mover advantage; it's the first financial product on the associate sponsorship list. "In India, mutual funds are bought by only 2% of the Indian population.

By associating with KBC, we hope to broaden our consumer base," says Jaideep Bhattacharya, chief marketing officer, UTI Mutual Funds. For media planners of the brands, SRK seems to be the perfect anchor, who can appeal to the young Indian population. Sam Balsara, head honcho of Madison India believes that having SRK on the show will substantially increase the shows' TRPs.

Shahrukh KBC Special - Headlines Today

http://youtube.com/watch?v=R0Jd9hX752Y
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lsKY3G7dnMI
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KJhI0bJXhzA

Why SRK is the right man for KBC

KING OF KBC? Basu says SRK has none of the anxieties that most actors have about anchoring.

Mumbai: Quizmaster Siddharth Basu, the man behind the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), says actor Shah Rukh Khan was the obvious alternative to Amitabh Bachchan with his charm and cheek.

"Shah Rukh was always the most obvious alternative. And I've said that for a long time. I think it's great choice, though only as an alternative to Amitabh Bachchan," Basu said.

Basu describes him as young people's person.

"Shah Rukh's charming and cheeky. He has none of the anxieties that most actors have about anchoring. The tone, tenor and texture will change with Shah Rukh. At the press conference with Shah Rukh the girls were going crazy. It will have a younger zingy feel. And the viewership today is young - between 18 to 34 years," he added.

Basu, who is also responsible for reality shows like Jhalak Dikhla Jaa and Bigg Boss, feels such shows will lose colour very soon.

"The whole concept behind Bigg Boss is artificial. Contestants can't make phone calls, can't take a siesta, can't read or watch TV. So all sorts of bizarre things start happening. In Holland they start having sex. Here we can't have that," he said.

"I strictly feel the unscripted format has a limited shelf life. Reality television won't overtake anything. The glamour of the 'tit' and the 'grit' will run out. There'll always be room for soaps," he added.

[inwww.rediff.com]

'Mock' kiya jaaye?

By: Vickey Lalwani
December 21, 2006

It seems that Shah Rukh Khan is taking his strained equation with the Bachchans a bit too seriously. Khan wants to prove that he is a better host than Amitabh Bachchan and has taken to Kaun Banega Crorepati 3 with a vengeance. A mock set has been erected at SRK's office where he has been enacting the show for the past ten days, five hours daily.

According to our well-informed source, Khan is so diligent about his drill that he has postponed his home production Om Shanti Om (co-starring Deepika Padukone), to be directed by Farah Khan.

Star India's COO Sameer Nair tells us, "SRK is a thorough professional and I think he has adjusted a few dates of his shootings, too. This is really going to help in enhancing the output. Practice makes perfect, doesn't it?"

Celeb hotseat

Khan insisted that the mock set be set up in his residence premises. Nair says, "He was in Australia when we asked him if he would prefer a mock set at a studio near his house. But he said it would be better if we could arrange it at his house itself. All we needed was a 25x25 room. We have given him the chairs, the computerji, the graphic system, the sound system and even mock participants are sent so that he plays with them. Everything is there except the lights. It's a bit cramped when compared to the actual set-up, but it's good."

Nair adds that Synergy (the producers of KBC) unit guys are all there and the rehearsals are scheduled almost on daily basis. "Often, Khan's close friends from the industry and other guests at his house sit on the hot seat and play the game with him. Day before yesterday, choreographer Ganesh Hegde was in the hot seat!" he adds.

Hegde says, "Yes, I was there day before yesterday. I am working on a promotional track for the show. I couldn't resist the temptation of testing my general knowledge. I won Rs 1,60,000 and none of my four lifelines were used. Then the time limit for the episode got over and even Shah Rukh had to leave for a party. I am definitely going to go back and finishing my game. It's great fun to play with SRK as the quizmaster. Wahan jo bhi Shah Rukh ko milne aata hai, he feels like playing the game."

Not for Big B

Synergy's Siddharth Basu informs that Khan's buddies Farah Khan and Karan Johar have been on the hotseat too. "He is shooting for Chak De these days, but still makes it a point not to miss the drill. I remain present as much as I can. The other day, he mentioned that Farhan Akhtar was also keen to drop by. I don't know if by now he has already done that. But I must say one thing, SRK is very much on top of the game now."

Did Mr Bachchan get such special facilities when he was doing the show? "Such a facility was not given to Mr Bachchan in his first tenure, but he did rehearse in his second tenure at J W Marriott. We were not ready with such things when the show took off for the first time," Nair explains.

KBC goes on air from January 22.

Often, Khan's close friends from the industry and other guests at his house sit on the hot seat and play the game with him.

Day before yesterday, choreographer Ganesh Hegde was in the hot seat!

— Samir Nair

http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2006/december/148830.htm

See who's in hotseat with SRK



Looks like SRK is working hard at getting into the skin of his new job. One part of his bungalow, Mannat, has been converted into a virtual set so that King Khan gets ample time to do his homework by practicing with dummy contestants.

Some of his friends who have sat on the hot seat include Farah Khan, Karan Johar, musicians Vishal, Shekhar and choreographer Ganesh Hegde.

The choreographer confirms saying "yes I was there and I couldn't resist the temptation of testing my general knowledge. I won Rs.1, 60,000 and didn't use any of my four lifelines. It's great fun to play with SRK as the quizmaster"

Star India's COO, Sameer Nair confirms saying "He was in Australia when we asked him if he would prefer a mock set at a studio near his house. But he said it would be better if we could arrange it at his house itself.

We have given him the chairs, the computerji, the graphic system, the sound system and even mock participants are sent so that he plays with them. Everything is there except the lights. Often Khan's close friends from the industry and other guests at his house sit on the hot seat and play the game with him."

SRK's KBC is set to hit the screen early next year.

http://www.santabanta.com/cinema.asp?pid=12898

Karan Johar to design SRKs crorepati look

MUMBAI: While Shah Rukh Khan is preparing hard at his office to don the new role of a quizmaster in Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), his buddy Karan Johar is busy designing the look the superstar will have on the show.

It's not for the first time that Johar will be styling SRK's look; he has styled the superstars appearance in his films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Veer Zaara, Kal Ho Naa Ho and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna.

When contacted Johar said, "What is new in it? I have been designing his clothes and look for almost all his films. Besides, Shah Rukh Khan is one person who will look good in casuals as well as in formals. He can carry off almost anything."

The set for Kaun Banega Crorepati will be designed by Nitin Desai. Says a source in Star, "He has done it earlier. We have just dismantled the Nach Baliye set. It will take them at least a week or two to construct the KBC set".

Shah Rukh Khan will be shooting simultaneously for his home production Om Shanti Om and Kaun Banega Crorepati. Since both the sets are in Film City, the actor will be shooting for his film during the day and for KBC in the evenings. He will be shooting for 18 to 20 hours a day, an insider said.

Shah Rukh Khan has been roped in by Star for two seasons of 52 episodes. Shah Rukh Khans KBC will definitely bring in a new set of audiences, an insider said.

Shah Rukh Khan was approached by Star after Amitabh Bachchan declined an offer to host the show in its third season. Khan came to be seen as the only alternative after Amitabh Bachchan. The choice of Khan immediately generated interest and zing in the media world and the ad world.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/Karan_Johar_to _design_SRKs_crorepati_look/articleshow/903906.cms

Making way for 'KBC'

After Hours Correspondent
Sunday, December 10, 2006 23:59 IST

'Karam Apna Apna' to continue but 'Viraasat' gets axed

'Karam Apna Apna', the Balaji show on Star Plus will soon be shifted to another time slot. According to sources, it will get the 8 pm slot. Balaji's fresh offering 'Karam...' could not connect with the audiences. Hence, the shift away from a prime time slot, say sources.

With Ravi Chopra's 'Viraasat' (Star Plus) being made to bow out, Star Plus seems to be making way for the big ticket show of the season, 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' with ShahRukh Khan in the host's seat.

On these developments, Shailja Kejriwal, senior creative director of Star, says, "Yes, we are continuing with 'Karam Apna Apna' but have yet to decide it's time slot. Where 'Viraasat' is concerned, we see tremendous potential in it and so are giving it a 13 weeks season break. Its second season will return thereafter."

The channel has grand plans for the finale of 'Nach Baliye2' (Star One). "Like the first season, we are having a live finale from the sets. It's only the other contestants performances that will be canned earlier but the finale performances by the finalists Tina-Hussain and Yash-Gauri will be live on December 18," says Shailja.

dnaindia.com