Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Small just got bigger

Bollywood actors are making a dash for the small screen at the peak of their career

With Shah Rukh Khan appearing on television as the host of Kaun Banega Crorepati from next month, life would come full circle for this mega star.

With that dimpled smile, Khan says, "I started with television and I am happy to be back. In fact, I never went away, for some channel or the other would always show my movies." Most cinemagoers are privy to the story of how Khan as a struggling actor, after featuring in the tele-series Fauji and Circus, made headway in Bollywood.

But mind you, King Khan's nod to STAR Plus to don the cloak of former show host Amitabh Bachchan has now a lot to do with the size of the box than the actor's nostalgia for the medium.

Today, television is getting bigger in India. With millions of tele-viewers and advertisers pouring in big money to grab eyeballs, the small screen is no more a struggler's medium. The scope has widened and is brimming with big bucks. Or else, why do you think Khan is being joined by actors such as John Abraham and Arshad Warsi at the peak of their career?

Bollywood comedian Johnny Lever already has a show on Zee TV, and we hear that Karan Johar is soon returning with Koffee with Karan.

Says Sandip Sickand, Creative Head, SET India, "TV as a medium has grown by leaps and bounds in India. Its reach now attracts even the big stars." No wonder, to cash in on the boom, we have Khan doing KBC, Arshad hosting Big Boss and John Abraham featuring in the reality hunt John Aur Kaun. But television catching the fancy of Bollywood actors is nothing new. We have names here, be it Karisma Kapoor, Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit, Anupam Kher, Rajesh Khanna, Raveena Tandon or Manoj Bajpai. Each one was a washout though. Perhaps TV was not ready for their star power then?

Sickand doesn't quite agree: "Stars bring in the initial hype. The show's content has to be good too." A balance between star power and content can work wonders, he feels.

Sameer Nair, Chief Operating Officer, Star India, too talks on similar lines but adds, "Some stars indeed have a big pull. Take Bachchan." Giving credit to the format of KBC, Nair feels the pull Bachchan exerted on people had an important role to play in KBC's super success.

"Packed with both, we could redefine weekend viewing on Indian television," he states quite proudly.

As hosts only

Unlike the Karismas and the Raveenas, who played roles in tele-serials, these stars are uniformly not taking a chance and are just hosting shows. Arshad says, "I agreed for Big Boss because I want to be myself." John too, despite being a wanted film actor, doesn't see any reason why he should not try TV, at least when he is getting a chance to be John Abraham.

"With a view to exploring something different, I agreed to do the show. I never thought why I shouldn't do television at the peak of my film career, because I am myself there, and also, content matters to me more than the medium."

Shah Rukh laughs aloud when he is asked, why TV? "Don't worry, my money is not getting over. I am here because television is now very big. How can you ignore such a mass medium?" Obviously, everyone wants a piece of the pie.

But will they ever be seen acting for television? With too many examples of failure, stars are still unsure. The channels too are not taking chances. Says a Hungama channel spokesperson, "We took John for the show after a survey among children showed he is the most popular of the stars." Nair too points at Khan's power to haul in as many viewers as possible. Sickand, though, adds, "I feel they would be interested if given a good script." Meanwhile, Sony TV is in talks with "some big actors" for — what else? — hosting shows.

SANGEETA BAROOAH PISHAROTY

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail