‘Working with Amitabh Bachchan is like driving a Rolls Royce’
19th July 2001
12.20 IST
By ApunKaChoice Bureau
Quiz Master Siddhartha Basu is in complete awe of Amitabh Bachchan for his impeccable manner of hosting the quiz show "Kaun Banega Crorepati" (KBC).
"Working with Amitabh Bachchan is like driving a Rolls Royce, responsive to the slightest suggestion. He does not take his talent, charisma and affability for granted,'' he said.
"He's a highly conscious and committed performer, and meticulous in his preparation. He takes so much pain and trouble to understand even the minute details. He comes to the sets fully prepared," he added.
''It is these characteristics that stand him apart. He is always brimming with confidence, effervescence and joi de vivre. He has hooked the audience to the small screen like never before in the entertainment history of India,'' Basu said.
"When Sameer Nair, whose brainchild this show is and who has recently won Best Programming Executive Indian Telly Awards, 2001, told me that Mr. Bachchan could host the show, I lapped up the idea. I told him that if you could manage to convince him, nothing can beat the mass appeal, charisma and eloquence of Mr. Bachchan," he said.
''Though it took around two to three months to convince Mr. Bachchan to do the show, once he assented he was like a diligent schoolboy and cooperation personified. He would try to do the same thing 20 times in different styles. That was the level of his commitment,'' Basu said.
Basu's wife Anita Kaul, who assists him in his TV production, is the producer of KBC.
On his not anchoring the show, Mr. Basu said, "Basically, I am not bilingual. I can't speak Hindi fluently. KBC was the flagship programme of the channel which was transforming into a complete Hindi channel, so we needed a host who had mass appeal, enormous personal magnetism and who at the same time could speak both English and Hindi. Amitabh Bachchan perfectly fitted the bill," he said.
Needless to say, life has not been the same for him after KBC, However, Mr. Basu, who hails from a middle class Bengali family, feels that he is proud to be part of the show, which is of "world class quality".
"It means a ceaseless shuttling between Delhi and Mumbai, but it is good and a constant high regardless of the busy schedule. Working with the likes of Amitabh Bachchan and Sameer Nair and his team at Star (TV) gives me great satisfaction," the Director of the show said.
On the viewers' response, he said, "Nothing succeeds like success in the show biz and the response from viewers has been overwhelming and congratulatory, crediting KBC with making general knowledge a national passion. They have also appreciated the world class production quality of the show."
"KBC is a game of skill, not a game of chance. Those who take too many a chance, soon lose. You have to know how to win. It is not gambling," he said, referring to various Public Interest Litigations filed in court against the show. "And court after court in the country has ruled in its favor,'' he pointed out.
He has many an unforgettable memory linked with the show.
''Excitement was so palpable when Ramesh Arora, Ramesh Dubey and Harshvardhan Nawathe were about to answer the questions for Rs 25 lakh, 50 lakh and one crore respectively. It was a nerve-wracking experience which I would never forget in my life,'' he added.
On the competition from "Sawaal Dus Crore Ka" and "Chappar Phaad Ke,'' Basu said , ''I was only appalled that such unabashed take-offs were being attempted by rival channels. Both the shows were fundamentally flawed and abject failures. They just did minor cosmetic changes, which proved to be the undoing of both the shows. Matching content with the host is important for a successful show and both of them lacked it.''
''With due respect to him, Govinda would have been better in any dance and song programme than in a quiz show. This way, we have been lucky. We have a host who looks knowledgeable. He mixes his mass appeal with style and eloquence. And the best thing about Mr. Bachchan is that he is a linguist,'' he said.
''A good host must be a fluent communicator. He must have a sense of drama and empathy for both viewers and contestants. He should make everyone feel at ease,'' he said highlighting the prerequisites for a good anchor.
On the new attractions coming up in KBC, he said, "Soon we will start 'Kiske Naam Inaam' - a surprise phone quiz by the host. Around one to two lakh people call every day, so we thought we would start this quiz in which the computer will pick up a caller at random, and the host during the show will pose the question to the caller who will win great prizes if he answers it right. The winner can either get Rs 50,000 cash or a chance to come directly to play fastest fingers first. The first question of KNI will be asked on July 30."
KBC is also planning more special shows with Bollywood stars. "Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, Ajay Devgan and Kajol have agreed to participate in the show. We just have to finalize the date," he added.
For one who has hosted umpteen quiz shows, anchoring these shows just happened to him. "I never imagined being anywhere near a quiz show, leave alone anchoring one. It all happened by chance. Some former colleagues and friends asked me to drop by and introduce a pilot. Though I was a fresh entrant, I still managed to give my career-defining performance, and soon they coaxed me into it. But I was fortunate to ride on the power of television when Doordarshan was the only channel in the country."
His first quiz show was Quiz Time in 1985 for Doordarshan and he has never looked back since then.
Quiz Master Siddhartha Basu is in complete awe of Amitabh Bachchan for his impeccable manner of hosting the quiz show "Kaun Banega Crorepati" (KBC). 