Himalayan News Service

Mumbai:

Amitabh Bachchan will make a comeback to the small screen when the popular game show “Kaun Banega Crorepati” is revived in July this year. “Yes, ‘KBC’ will be revived in July 2005. I kept shifting the date because of my film commitments. But now I don’t think delaying ‘KBC’ makes any sense. While I still have my wits I better get down to it. So I’ll make time for ‘KBC’ in July,” Bachchan told IANS.

In 2000, satellite television did an about-turn when the show, that came to be called by its acronym ‘KBC’, changed the profile and fortunes of both its host, the inimitable Amitabh Bachchan, and its parent channel STAR Plus which went from an also-ran to the absolute frontrunner in satellite stakes.

Since all good things come to an end, KBC also ran to its conclusion after a year of spectacular success. But now the Bachchan baritone is all set to boom on the famous game show all over again. Bachchan says he is committed to doing 82 more episodes before ‘KBC’ finally closes down. “We’ve to sit down and work out the nitty-gritty’s,” says the Bollywood star.

“As per the contract, I don’t think we’re allowed to tamper with the basic format. The original copyright owners hold patent rights over the format. But both, the channel Star and me the anchor, feel there has to be some novelty in ‘KBC’ now. Otherwise there’s little sense in reviving it. We’re coming back after so many years! Maybe, we’ll introduce some exciting new changes to get the audience hooked again.” Though there’s talk of more TV for Bachchan, nothing has been finalised after ‘KBC’ yet. “I don’t have time for more television. However, if Sahara asks me to do TV I can’t say no to them. They’re after all like my family. So far, nothing concrete has come from them. But they keep throwing ideas, probing new possibilities... Let’s see.”

Interestingly, Amitabh Bachchan is the only big screen superstar to have worked successfully on television. Govinda and Manisha Koirala’s ‘KBC’-inspired game shows “Jeeto Chappad Phad Ke” and “Sawaal Dus Crore Ka” were miserable failures. Other celluloid deities to have floundered on television are Karishma Kapoor (“Karishma: The Miracle Of Destiny”), Raveena Tandon (“Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam”) and Sridevi (“Malini Iyer”). The latest to join the bandwagon is Hema Malini whose double take in “Kamini-Damini” has just gone on air on Sahara One.

Will the return of ‘KBC’ bring back the Bachchan’s household appeal on television? “I don’t know about that,” smiles AB. “But television as a medium is here to stay. And we better accept that.”