I have often wondered who actually qualifies for the KBC. Controversy over the selection process last year that reportedly resulted in the Big B withdrawing from the show reaffirmed my doubts regarding its fairness. That notwithstanding I watch the programme occasionally. Now, I can finally claim to know someone who has made it, been there and done that. Yes, hubby's cousin, B, had made it to KBC. He then won the fastest finger first (which was expected for he had enough practice with the fastest finger and his mobile phone while trying to gain an entry to KBC, resulting in a bill worth 10K or maybe more), sat on the "hot seat" and won a decent amount of money.
When B got a call from KBC, he called up H and mentioned that for the "phone a friend lifeline" B had given H's name. One was supposed to give names of three people you would like to call for help, and H was the chosen one. Again, a day before the actual shoot H gets a call from B. He tells H that when ShahRukh calls him he has to pretend to be suitably surprised (yes, even though he is expecting the call). H gets a call on the day of the shoot again, from someone at KBC. This lady tells him that the shoot was about to begin and gives him a set of instructions: that for the next 2-3 hours he should have the phone with him at all times; should not transfer the call to anybody else; that the first voice H would hear would be that of ShahRukh Khan; H can talk anything to ShahRukh, but was asked to remember that since the show is telecast at 9 pm he shouldn't greet ShahRukh with a good morning or a good afternoon.
H was never used as the phone-a-friend. My father-in-law was called instead. Later that evening H spoke to B about how he performed. He was terribly disappointed because he had won 25 lakh and was on the 50 lakh question and still had a lifeline left; for this question, B did not take the lifeline and ended up falling to 6.4 lakh. He talked about how the show was. He said prior to the start of the shoot on the hot seat he was told that ShahRukh would give him enough hints for a wrong answer, and that he should learn to recognize them. I have never met B and so don't really know how good or bad he is. But B told H that he got terribly difficult questions from the word go and that he went through them real fine and fast, including giving an explanation for every answer. At one question, in fact, Siddhartha Basu was called on to the stage, because they weren't sure about the answer. They asked B questions about how did he know the answer, where did he read it etc. At that point ShahRukh, Basu and the team took a 10-minute break to verify the answer. B says after this ShahRukh's demeanour towards him changed completely - was this B's reading of the situation or was it true is something I can say only after I have watched the show. And then, B said, ShahRukh gave him no hints for a wrong answer; until that point of time whenever B chose a wrong answer ShahRukh apparently prodded him to think again and reconsider his options. That helped him in narrowing down to the correct answer. But after this small scenario where he had Siddhartha Basu and others scurrying to reference books and probably the internet, ShahRukh apparently was curt, standoffish and distant. And then, finally, it was all over.
Oh well! For B, of course, it was the proverbial slip between the lip and the cup - he almost won 50 lakh but I would think due to he being certain about the answer he lost it. Frankly, in my opinion, KBC is a quiz show and the quiz master is not entitled to give you any hints about whether a particular answer is correct or not. If that is being done, I would say it is more as a means to ensure that each participant goes home with some money. I am not a fan of ShahRukh at all, and I believe he does not and cannot hold a candle to the Big B on this the show and hence this is not a defence of the King Khan. It is just a narration of what happens on the show when one gets to the hot seat.
Disclaimer: This article is based on hearsay, based on what we have heard from him (or rather what was told to my husband, who in turn narrated it to me). I do not guarantee that what is mentioned here is an authentic view of what happens behind the scenes of KBC. I do not vouch for everything being said here as being the truth, and nothing but the truth.
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4 comments:
I suppose it works by a simple principle that let people make money, and you're sure to draw more eyeballs, in turn translating into more advertising. Made for TV, and the format incidentally happens to be a quiz.
[anil p] You are absolutely right. Which is why I felt they don't mind it if people take away about 12 to 25 lakhs from the show. They obviously make up all the money from the ad slots. Methinks this show actually doesn't need a celebrity host/anchor. The format of the show itself is popular enough to draw audiences. Besides, there is a little something in each one of us that wants to see a common man win. I believe it makes us cling to the hope that one day that person on the hot seat could be you.
Absolutely, but the flip side is that as much as one might want to see a common man win, one would like to see that happen on the participant's merit, not subtle promptings.
The catch is: The show has to appeal to the common man, if it doesn't then it won't draw eyeballs simply because there are more number of 'common folks' then there are the 'elite'.
And for the show to catch on with the Common folks the common folks have to win. They're common folks 'coz they're not the 'prepared/hobby quiz enthusiasts' and to make them win they need to be subtly prompted, and that is where the charm can begin to wear off when one realises that this cannot be put down to the merit of the participant.
It is then this ends up being the show that it is, a drama no less.
[anil p] Agree with you completely - that even when a common man wins it should on his merit. What you say makes a lot of sense - obviously the show is formatted in a way that more and more people are drawn to it. And that can happen of more and more common men win. And yes that can take away the charm from the show itself.
It makes me wonder though - how about a show like Deal Ya No Deal, which just gave away doles of money for no reason; there was no question of merit here at all - it was pure luck. But this was not as popular a show. Methinks, somewhere within we do know that money doesn't come so easily; that one has to work hard for it in some manner. And that is where I believe KBC scores - even if it is subtly disguised it appears as though a person is actually racking his brain on it. Maybe that is the show's USP.
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