K...K...Kaun Banega Crorepati

It's not easy when you are trying to fill in a place that has been immortalized by one of the most lovable persona of India. And being Shah Rukh Khan hardly helps !

Shah Rukh's stardom is second only to Mr. Bachchan. So, when a question comes as to who will step in Mr. Bachchan's shoes, Shah Rukh's name is the only one which, although distant, seems visible on the horizon.This explains Don and this explains KBC - 3.

Shah Rukh has energy. Loads of it. And he uses it here in just the right balance. Let us admit, like Mr. Bachchan, Shah Rukh is a veteran. Okay, not exactly like Mr. Bachchan, but he still is a veteran. And here, it shows. He has a sense of what he is stepping into. He knows, more than anybody else dictating their verdict, that imitating Mr. Bachchan is impossible, to put it lightly. So, he doesn't even try. Instead, Shah Rukh brings his own style into a show known mostly for just one reason. Mr. Bachchan. Shah Rukh, smiles, laughs, jokes, talks and entertains us to the hilt. Atleast, that was the idea. In his debut episode as a host, Shah Rukh makes it absolutely clear that there won't be any complicated(well, with Mr. Bachchan, it was NEVER complicated) hindi nor will there be any 'lock'ing the answer options. He tells us straight, this time, there's gonna be a lot of talking. And also that he will wear the "coat" the way we wants him to. The idea was to create a distinct identity of his own. And , to an extent, he succeeds in that. Ten minutes into the show and you are aware that this is SRK KBC.


Shah Rukh looks very conscious in the first 40 minutes of the show. Thats the time he spends with Prasenjit Sarkar, the rollover contestent form KBC-2. Oops, Dwiteeye ! And I keep on guessing, why is he so nervous now. I mean, one can understand when you are nervous because you are infront of Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. But what's with being nervous because you are infornt of the person left over by Mr. Bachchan ! Man, Bachchan Saahab, surely has an aura.


It's only after the fastest-finger first round, when Rama K Gugilla comes to the hot-seat, when Shah Rukh really comes into the form. From here on, you just never want to change the channel. Shah Rukh makes you smile, laugh, giggle, and love him. He is friendly , energetic, entertaining, composed but in no way subtle, . His jokes are direct. His sense of humour , visible. And he does all this while making it sure that all his contestents feel completely at ease infront of him. As they felt infront of Mr. Bachchan. Shah Rukh is completely in-charge from now on. He asks the contestent wether he can call him 'Gugs Gugilla'. He tells his wife to wish him best of luck and say 'I love you'. He prohibits him form saying, "I quit", rather, the drill is now to say, "Shah Rukh, main aapse gale milna chaahta hoon". He addresses the audience as “ladies and gentleman, boys and girls” and he opts to hug the contestants rather than just shake hands with them.

Shah Rukh is one of the best hosts. We know this from the stage shows we have been seeing, and from here on, he shows this quality of his quite aptly.

So, are we impressed ? Let me put it this way, Shah Rukh doesn't dissapoints atleast. And given what Bachchan Saahab did to this role, it's no mean task. Shah Rukh clearly becomes more confident towards the end of the show, when he is purely brilliant. The change, in those parts , is a welcome one. So, my guess is, the next few episodes are going to be rocking. Shah Rukh, after the first 40 minutes, has come to ease with the format and now its just a matter of few episodes that can take KBC to the heights that it enjoyed in earlier times.

One last word. I missed Bachchan Saahab