Shah Rukh in the Hot Seat

When contestant Alka Tiwari’s father (she had won 10 lakhs the previous week) said, “Maine usey kaha, beta jeet ke aana, haarkar nahin,” SRK quipped, “Main apni team se yehi kehta hoon lekin woh sunte nahin...”

Obviously, despite low TRPs and his team’s ouster from the semi-finals, King Khan has certainly not lost his famed sense of humour. Our correspondent reports from the sets.

Compared to KBC, you look relaxed and seem to be enjoying yourself on Paanchvi Pass...
This show suits my temperament. KBC was a little stuck up. The drama was different. It was serious. An established show, it had a certain standard and I had to live up to the reputation. I did try to incorporate something new within the given format. On the other hand, in Paanchvi Pass... I have the freedom of moving around. The contestants are more like friends, the questions are simple and with kids around there is a lot of fun. This show should have happened first.

Though the contestants are in awe of you, they act familiar.
By now, people are used to seeing me on television as a presenter. They are friendly with me and I don't mind that at all. All of them are really sweet and nobody has ever crossed the line.

Have you been impressed by any contestant?
Yes, there was this Gujarati guy who played dandiya with gusto. He was very good with his answers. He had come from a small-town and I felt bad when he left with only 10 lakhs. Even this old lady Kusum is great, she is so lively and you saw how well she sang Abhi to main jawaan hoon. (Smiles)

Aren't there more women participants on the show?
I guess around 70 per cent participants are women. I think women give a lot of importance to education as most of them are highly qualified. There have been CAs, dentists and engineers.

Despite all the hype, the show hasn't been able to garner high TRPs like KBC, What went wrong?
Whether it's KBC or Paanchavi Pass... it is not my business to get into TRPs. Many people felt that the show was only for kids. Maybe 8 pm is not the right slot though kids may like it. I think it could have been scheduled at a later time. In any case, all these decisions are taken by Star executives. Frankly, when a show doesn't do well, you find all kinds of excuses. However, I take 70 per cent of the responsibility for the show's poor ratings. I have been paid a huge amount by Star but I am not getting the eyeballs. I heard that IPL has been a big downer for not only my show but also serials.

So, will you have a second season of Paanchvi Pass...?
This is a mini-series of 36 episodes. We have already shot 30 episodes and right now I am shooting the last schedule. We have yet to decide on Season II.

Has your involvement with IPL affected Paanchvi Pass...?
No. IPL is no work for me. I have even stopped going to watch matches played by my team. I am focussed on my show. In fact, when I was doing KBC, I was simultaneously shooting for a film.

Once IPL is over, will the ratings of your show go up?
Yes. It should fill the vacuum that IPL will leave after it's over. People who haven't sampled Paanchvi Pass... will tune into it, which should give a fillip to the show.

Sony thinks that their new show 10 Ka Dum with Salman Khan will fill that vacuum.
Well, it seems like a good show. I have seen the promos, it looks nice.

So, what's it with superstars making a beeline on TV?
I cannot comment on others. I started out on TV and am happy doing it. Television is a huge platform and now the affordability is big, that is channels can afford to pay huge money to stars.

Is your wife Gauri hosting a show for the new channel, Colours.
No. She is not doing any show.

So, what kind of shows will your company produce?
I personally am not inclined towards family socials. I prefer the “Don” kind of shows. But I don't get into the creatives of the shows. I leave it to the expertise of people who have been appointed for it. I do tell them to bring in new ideas and create novel shows.

Screen India