Megastar Amitabh Bachchan may have left his fans a bit disappointed with his debut fiction show 'Yuddh', but he made sure the grand premiere of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati 8' lived up to its hype. The game of knowledge, which has been the talking point for its format, prize money and of course, much-appreciated Big B's style on TV, has been making a considerable impact since it was launched in 2000. And the grand premiere night aired on Sunday was no different. Laced with tension, humour, and big money prizes, the episode offered the viewers what they have been looking forward to - an enriching experience.
The opening episode of the new season featured a sprightly Kapil Sharma joking around with the host and contestants; Meiyang Chang, Neeti Mohan and Anirrudh Dave using a musical banter to keep the viewers entertained. But nothing could be pitted against Big B's shuddh desi style. The megastar made a grand entry with his much-liked dialogue 'Tum Log Mujhe Dhoond Rahe Ho, Aur Mai Tumhara Yahan Intezaar Kar Raha Hoon' and a medley of his hits playing in the background. Clearly proud of his show, the megastar, suited up impeccably for the premiere, waved at fans, greeted them as he mouthed his popular KBC dialogues such as 'agla Prashan' and 'audience poll lifeline use kiya jaye computer ji'.
Unlike its previous seasons, 'KBC 8' didn't stick to its trademark seriousness. Since the channel had decided to give the show a humorous spin, Kapil Sharma was roped in for its launch. His skill set and ability to connect with the viewers, made the episode look brilliantly funny. Kapil, who even referred to Big B as 'Gurudev', asked him to announce his marriage proposal for actress Deepika Padukone. The comedian left everyone in splits when he asked the audience a string of bizarre questions like 'Aapke dada se unki bahu ka kya rishta hoga?', 'Bharat ke kis shetra ke naam ka arth avivihahit ladki hai?'. He also requested Big B to allow him to sit on the 'hot seat' and go through the nervousness and anxiety that contestants experience, and charmed everyone with his funny take on it.
So yes, casting Kapil along with Big B was a smart decision by 'KBC' makers. For the two brought so much to their respective roles by way of mannerisms and dialogues. Since both Big B and Kapil shared a warm chemistry, they were able to deliver some of the most enjoyable moments on the show. Big B's serious questions and Kapil's silly rejoinders stood out. Agreed, Indian detective series 'CID' enjoys a huge fan following in India, but is that a convincing reason to rope in its characters in the grand premiere event of 'KBC'? And what was the point of making Maharana Pratap (played by actor Faisal Khan) perform on the instrumental music of 'Jodhaa Akbar'? If the makers thought these acts would play a key role in uplifting the show's spirit, they were mistaken.
Since the promos of KBC had focused on the issue of racial discrimination which the residents of North-East part of India face, the decision of the makers to allow Shillong Chamber Choir to perform a moving rendition of Vande Mataram was right. Yes, their performance managed to strike a chord with the viewers.
The other winning aspect of the show was its new format. The eight season's new avatar includes several interesting twists and changes. Remember the expert advice lifeline? It has now been changed to Triguni which includes a panel of three to help the contestant. Since the prize money has been shot up to Rs 7 crore, new lifeline Code Red has also been introduced, which allows the contestant's family to press the buzzer to indicate they want him/her to quit the show.
In a nutshell, it is always fun to watch Amitabh grill his contestants, and put them at ease with his good humour. But will the show continue to be as engaging sans Kapil Sharma in its forthcoming episodes?
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