Tarun Katial talks about Mandira Bedi taking over Deal Ya No Deal and the second season of Fame Gurukul
Subhash K Jha
In what seems to be a case of grapes turning sour, Tarun Katial dismisses the 'rumour' that Madhavan walked out of Deal Ya No Deal. "It wasn't as though we didn't plan it. The show is doing well. But we wanted to move it to another level in terms of the look, feel and attitude. Obviously the anchor needs to re-acclimatise herself to fit into Madhavan's shoes."
Tarun denies that Madhavan was chosen for his celebrity status. "Not at all! We selected Madhavan for his ability to connect with the audience and improvise on an unscripted show. Not too many anchors can do that. He's not a big star among the audience Sony caters to…Now we have Mandira Bedi, who not only connects with the audience but also comes with considerable experience in hosting shows. She also has the time required for the show."
But isn't she busy with Dial One Aur Jeeto on Sahara One? "If you remember, Mandira did our Fame Gurukul. And the Sahara game-show was going on then. We always had a problem co-ordinating her dates. But she's a lovely anchor and has a very charming personality. "
Has Deal Ya No Deal lived up to expectations? Tarun says, "I'll be honest with you. It has neither hit the ball out of the park nor has it turned out to be a wash-out. We're changing the format and look. The show will now have twenty-six models to carry the boxes. It'll have a razzmatazz look, very showbiz-glamour. And Mandira fits right in."
How successful will Mandira be in taking the show forward, considering that Madhavan has been the face of the serial so far? "Mandira has done it successfully in the past. She broke into cricket commentary, which is a male domain."
The other big happening is the return of Fame Gurukul. "It's coming back in mid-2006 in more or less the same format. We'll probably have the same team again," Katial concludes.
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