The Anupam Kher show
Colors, Sunday, 8 pm
Shah Rukh Khan has appeared several times on TV as a guest on celebrity chat shows. He has regaled us with gossip about films and co-actors in Koffee With Karan. His sense of humour and wit are legendary so when Anupam Kher announced that King Khan will be his first guest on the show, you knew what was coming, or so you thought! Yes, the Badshah of Bollywood displayed flashes of his great humour but the show was more than that. Anupam got out a completely different side of SRK - emotional and humane. More importantly, Anupam let his famous guest take the floor completely, quietly nudging him or subtly bringing him back on the subject without breaking his thought process. Having whetted our curiosity in the first episode one can't wait to watch the next installment! The only hitch - the episode ended abruptly with a to be continued scroll. It could have been edited in a better way.
What is it about: A celebrity chat show it has seasoned actor Anupam Kher inviting famous personalities from the film world to have a heart-to-heart conversation.
Setting: The set is like a stage with Anupam's face sporting different expressions adorning the wall. There's a mask too which the actor holds in the title track and is also part of the setting. An indicator of Anupam trying to get to know person behind the mask.
What works: Anupam is completely at ease as the host. the stage is his home - having started out with theatre and he has hosted a children's show Say Na Something To Anupam Uncle earlier. Being in the industry for 30 years, the veteran actor has a very good rapport with almost all the actors. He knows their strengths and weaknesses and has the knack of drawing them out. You could see the healthy respect SRK and Anupam had for each other. They did pull each others' legs but they didn't cross the line at any point. King Khan talking about his father who tried and failed at several businesses, but encouraged his children to pursue what they want, or not - Jo kuch nahi karte woh kamaal karte hai - said a lot about where SRK gets his confidence and optimism from. Your heart went out to him when he revealed that he kept praying for his mother in the parking lot because somebody told him that as long as prayed, his sick mother would be alive. Anecdotes about his sporting days, his reasons for becoming an actor, Hema Malini acting out a scene for him were interesting.
What doesn't: The introduction scene where Anupam in shuddh Hindi talked about how life mein kucch bhi ho sakta hai was long and tedious. Hope it is cut out in the next episodes.
Verdict: Film stars are appearing dime-a-dozen on reality shows but this one tries to bring out the real person behind the star. Go for it!
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