KnockOut !

Kabir Bedi, when pitted along with Vinod Khanna in Kachche Dhaage, had caused many a young heart to flutter. Later, when he moved over to Hollywood and Europe, quite a few leading men of Bollywood heaved a sigh of relief because he definitely was a competition to them and had given many an inferiority complex. Now, after so many years, Kabir is coming back to Indian viewers via the tube. He is hosting Cinevista’s game show KnockOut on DD1. “This is the only television appearance that I am making, no serials for me. As for any other game shows, that I can’t, since I have a three-year contract with Cinevista. If there are any good, meaty roles on the big screen, I may take them on and make time for them,” says Kabir, still the handsome hunk that he was so many years back.

So we get to watch him on DD1 every Sunday night for an hour. That’s fine, but KBC has raised too many expectations of the viewers. Does he think he can compete with the overwhelming success of KBC and the magnetism of Amitabh Bachchan? “With all due respect and giving the devil his due (in this case, Big B), game shows are successful only if they have a proper format. It is a copy of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire which has already proved its format internationally. Amitabh has added to it his charm but then the format is all too important. I am excited about my show because it is unique and is not at all in direct competition with KBC, says a confident Kabir. However, he agrees that KBC has become a benchmark in game shows and anybody coming out with one has to be prepared for comparisons.

Kabir, who says that he has been talking to Cinevista for some thing akin to a game show since the past one year (that is before KBC), says that the talks turned into a deal only a few weeks back. “We cannot reveal much about the concept now. There are too many people waiting to copy in a hurry but we start shooting in January 2001.” The show requires wits and intelligence and courage, he says. They plan to take the participants on by the fourth week of December 2000.

Why Kabir? “Why not me? Mere pet pe kyon laat marte ho?,” he retorts in jest. We wonder whether it is because Cinevista wants to capitalise on his great looks and quick wit. “They will capitalise on everything that is me. Why restrict it to two things only?” he quips with a grin.

Cinevista’s choice is all the more interesting because Kabir is known to be more comfortable with English than Hindi. And DD1 has a large audience which still consider English a foreign language. But Kabir dispels the doubts instantly. “Hey I am a Punjabi remember I speak the language fluently. As for Hindi, yes my thinking is in English but there is enough time to counter and corner this lapse.”

Well, not only his accent but even the name of the game show is in English.
How well the Hindi belt audiences will relate to the topic is anybody’s guess but Bedi believes that this is a term of cricket. “And cricket is a national game, all know and understand the terms and words of cricket, even villagers. “The game is somewhat like a pyramid, eventually narrowing down to one contestant - the winner.”

However, the makers claim that all the participants will walk away with some prize. As for the host himself? “I am the first winner, of course. I am being paid very well but I won’t like to disclose the amount.” However, he is sure that the investment will be worth it since he is expecting his show to reach higher TRPs than KBC. “Cinevista’s Jai Mata Di is generating a big TRP of 13.6. Why can’t KnockOut do it?” he questions.

As for the immense risk involved in a game show, specially in the wake of the utter debacle of Zee’s Sawaal Dus Crore Ka, Kabir points out that his show is a new format. “The risk is always there. Anything new is bound to have some teething problems theoretically but practically speaking, I know we will succeed,” says a confident Kabir who is also going to sign cheques of Rs. 1 crore for the winner. KBC has succeeded due to a tried and tested format in combination with the personality of Amitabh. It has set the trend. We will take it ahead,” Kabir asserts. Well, a positive attitude, they say, is the first step to success. If viewers latch on to it, KnockOut just might knock out other competitors. We will wait and watch.

Neelam Gupta