They say that “Who wants to be a Millionaire” is the biggest British export since the Beatles. The UK based show now being shown in 28 countries of the world, in the local version but on the same format. Michael Davies conceived the idea and this show now has changed the face of the prime time TV
Browsing through the reviews on Mouthshut.com, I was surprised to note the interest in the Indian show “Kaun Banega Crorepati” and my curiosity prompted me to get a video tape of the show from a friend in Bombay, and Lo: what do I get? A special Diwali Screening where the contestants are Sonali Bendre & Aamir Khan.
My friend in Bombay tells me that the ambience and grandiose of the show is unlike any other show ever seen on the Indian TV, and that phrases like “Pucca”, “confident” and “Lock Kiya Jaye” are the new buzz words in India.
But honestly to me it appeared a cheap imitation of the UK show. The show is hosted by the
Indian cinema icon Amitabh Bachan, whose wax statue was unveiled recently at the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in London. Amitabh with the Superstar tag, has superbly hosted the show
That could leave the viewers mesmerized, not that he is a dashing TV host but because he has
Been a superstar of the Indian screen for last two decades and carries that aura to the TV screen.
Where as Chris Terrant (host of the UK show) is one of those game show hosts whose job it is not just to get up your nose, but to tickle your nostrils and play with the nasal hairs while he’s in there. He has perfected the art of getting people to scream ’’WILL YOU JUST DAMN WELL GET ON WITH IT!’’ at the radio through his years of running promotional games on Capital FM as a DJ.
Regis Philbin, who has so far won 9 Emmy Awards and now has written two best sellers including “Who wants to be me” t, hosts the American Show
But what ever it is, one thing is certain that Indian TV has come off age and with shows like KBC, it is bound to be at the front line of world TV shows. Finally it has broken of its bondage of shows like Amanat & Ashirwad.