Mar 24, 2001 12:30 AM
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If its 9.00pm-10.00pm and u elsewhere rather then in front of ur TV set, either ur moronic, ur IQ is the size of my foot or u have a grudge against Amitabh Bachchan becoz Star TV and Amitabh Bachchan have come together to play the biggest gamble ever.
With 1 crore at stakes, it is the biggest ever show mounted on TV, after a mega-game show worth 10 times the amount which has been launched by Zee TV end-October.
’Kaun Banega Crorepati’, 4 times a week and more than 75 weeks down the line, Star TV’s gamble has paid off, capturing the Indian fancy like few other shows have. ’KBC’ has become a phenomenal success of which am sure STAR TV themselves wud never have anticipated or believed, as today they just laff themselves to the bank.
The Big B
While the quality of the sets is on par with international standards, the shows conduct, language, and production is a class apart. The Big B himself is an epitome of class, courtesy, charm, grace, sophistication and magnetism. Except for his leniency towards the females, Big B does makes the contestant feel comfy and confident.
The Monies
If u thot that it was easy to become a crorepati, read more and find out how much it takes to make a crorepati. This is wat STAR TV spends on KBC
Advt & publicity – 20 crore
Big B – 7 crore
Prod. Costs – 15 crore
In totality it’s a mind boggling Rs. 75 crore, thats STAR TV is spending on KBC. So u tink STAR TV is running into losses, Chillllll!!!!!!!At the end of 130 episodes, calculation claim that they will make nuthing less than Rs. 195 crore in gross revenue.
The Analysis
Though it will be peanuts for Rupert Murdoch, atleast 4 days a week, as 1st week of July thru analysis done by a marketing agency, showed 41% of the total universe of Cable and Satellite homes tuned in were watching KBC. But wat will be a tall order for STAR TV is maintaiining their high rating for the show, over a period of time and eliminating ’viewer-fatigue’, as has been seen in shows like ‘Survivor’, ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’ etc.
The Format
KBC is a programme that the viewers were thirsting for, and its time had come. From a CEO to a chowkidaar, one just has to call up a number, give in your details and u are asked a set of questions. If u r right, u are again questioned. From the correct entries u r then randomly selected by a comp.(don’t forget calling from one number, rules u out calling from the same n. again …. If u not selected) and are flown in to Mumbai city, by Indian Airlines.
From 20 contestants, the fastest on the buzzer u r selected to sit in the seat and answer 15 questions thrown by the Big B himself. With 15 questions to take u thru till u get the evasive 1 crore. U answer the 1st 5 question which take u to Rs. 5000. From then onwards every right answer double the money u win. Major heart-stoppers are at 25, lakhs to 50 and 50 lakhs to 1 crore.
Some Facts
Based on the programme,‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’,KBC has a compelling element in the format of its programme, that has proved to be a great success world over. This original show runs in 31 countries from Finland near the North Pole to South Africa in the South and from Japan in the East to US of A in the West. And it is likely to go up to 50, as another 20 versions are supposed to go on air the world over soon, if not already.
The copyright of this programme is held by UK based Celador Productions Ltd. and licensees are expected to follow a strict 169 page guide which covers the show’s set , music, format, contestant qualification process etc.
Big B has just revised his contract, wherein he will be with KBC for 200 episodes and make a cool 101 crore.
Viva la ABCL!!!!!In the 1st week after the announcement of the show, 30 lakh viewers called in. The winner of the 1st quiz was a school teacher from Mumbai who took away Rs. 80,000. The only winner of a crore so far has been another Mumbaite, Harshavardhan, Navate. In the 4 metros, more than 600 tel lines have been set up to take the calls.
KBC has proved to be the proverbial cat among the pigeons, sending other prime-time rival channels scurrying for cover. As Zee TV’s gets its act rite with ‘ Sawaal Dus Crore Ka’, SABE TV will rely on Karishma to make up a glamourous game show wherein rights have have been secured from abroad, SONY has already up its sleeve, Chapar Phaad Ke’ with ‘Chi Chi’.
The beneficiaries
From the telecaster - Star TV, who is raking in more than 1.80 lakhs per 10 sec ads. To MTNL and the Depratment of Telecommunications, which earns lakhs or rupees a day, besides the advertisers, ad. agencies, prize money winners, plus the millions of viewers who tune in who watch the most –watched programme in India’s short history of Satellite TV.
Good Work Star TV and good going Big B, atleast now ABCL will be ‘unlocked’
