SRK & I have a secert patch: BIG B

Mumbai: The talks about rivalry between Bollywood's Badshah Shah Rukh Khan and Big B Amitabh Bachchan have been inevitable ever since it was announced that SRK would take over the 'hot seat' from the ageing icon in Star TV's reality show Kaun Banega Crorepati 3.

So what does Amitabh think of SRK's performance on KBC 3?

CNN-IBN's Entertainment Editor Rajeev Masand caught up with Big B and spoke to him about his much talked about rivalry with King Khan and the new KBC.

Rajeev Masand: Are you surprised by all the attention and interest that seems to exist about your supposed rivalry with Shah Rukh Khan?

Amitabh Bachchan: I'm not surprised. I know this is all a media build and therefore we take it very lightly and play along.

Rajeev Masand: Do you find yourself being provoked very often to answer all these sensational questions just keep the controversy going?

Amitabh Bachchan: Yes I actually said it in one of the programmes that you have no idea how much these TV channels are paying us to keep this war going. Shah Rukh and I have a little secret pact.

Rajeev Masand: The last time I asked you whether you had seen KBC 3, and you said didn't have the time...

Amitabh Bachchan: But now I have.

Rajeev Masand: And what do you think?

Amitabh Bachchan: It's fine. It's a wonderful format actually. And Shah Rukh is doing a fine job. He has made it very light hearted. My brief when I was doing it was that it has to be dramatic, suspenseful and full of character, which is what I did. But he is fine.

Rajeev Masand: They say that the ratings of KBC 3 are nowhere close to that of the time that you did it. A lot of people ofcourse feel that KBC is just not the same without you.

Amitabh Bachchan: Yes?

Rajeev Masand: You don't think so?

Amitabh Bachchan: I think if anyone did KBC it would be successful because of the format is good. It has been running successfully in 80-90 countries across the world. I'm not doing that and neither is Shah Rukh. So what is the reason? The reason is that the game itself is very powerful.