Karan Johar acts pricey
The director has become too expensive for television
Subhash K Jha
The flurry to corner super-celebrity judges on the two forthcoming dance extravaganzas, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (Sony) and Nach Baliye (Star) has now reached a crescendo, with marquee names walking in and out, depending on the number of zeroes that are being given or refused on their pay cheque. Soon after Shilpa Shetty replaced Karisma Kapoor on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, it's now time for a director-swap on the rival show. After Farhan Akhtar pleaded his inability to join co-judges Saroj Khan and Malaika Arora on Nach Baliye 2, the channel approached Karan Johar.
According to a Star source, Karan was 'unaffordable'. Karan laughs, "That could be the truth. After all the best does come with a price tag. But, seriously, my hands are full now. I've got the second season of my talk show (Koffee With Karan) coming up. That's all the television I can afford to do right now."
Kunal Kohli, who has television experience (he used to host a popular TV film-magazine ) has stepped ino Karan's place.
Says Star's Shailja Kejriwal, "I think the two shows, Nach Baliye and Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, will have different audiences. Jhalak… will have mass appeal because of contestants like Jassi (Mona Singh) and Akashdeep Saigal. But a lot of their other contestants aren't known by the average TV viewer. We'll have an edge in the interiors. However it's said that second seasons don't work that well… We've KBC and Indian Idol to prove it."
Nach Baliye has gone for what they call the best mix of contestants. "We had decided that this time we won't neceassrily go for both contestants being TV stars. For example Hussain's wife Tina has nothing to do with TV. Those who aren't TV stars are trying even harder to prove they can dance. This time we got in couples from various regions. There's a lot of voting on that basis. One of the reasons Sachin and Supriya Pilgaonkar won was that the whole of Maharashtra voted for them. Nach Baliye isn't just about dance. It's also about having fun and it's enjoyable competition. Anyway, Jhalak Dikhlaa Jaa starts before us. So they have an edge."
• After all, the best does come with a price tag. But, seriously, my hands are full now. I've got the second season of my talk show coming up — Karan Johar
Naagin 7
