Amitabh Bachchan is back with the ninth season of his game show Kaun Banega Crorepati and what a comeback! He was and remains the best part of the quiz show. His charisma, energy and style remain unbeatable. He gave it a miss the last three years, but it doesn’t matter at all. Not only does he take it forward effortlessly but also makes us happily nostalgic.
What’s it about: A quiz show adapted from an international format, with 16 questions and each correct answer fetching prize money. In the new season, too, the format remains the same, albeit with a few changes. The phone-a-friend lifeline is now a video call, a new lifeline, Jodidar, has been introduced in which the contestant brings along a partner to join him on the hotseat. Bachchan no longer gives a cheque to the contestant, but money is transferred online giving a nod to Modi’s digital India. And, the jackpot question has increased from `5 to `7 crores. There’s also something for the audience sitting at home as they can play in real time.
What’s hot: Undoubtedly, Amitabh Bachchan, who makes the show lively and interesting. His fun banter with contestants, his inimitable baritone and exuberance that can beat any youngster, are the high points. Like we have seen in the last several seasons, contestants this time, too, are from small towns. The first episode had Saroj Verma, a teacher from Hisar, Haryana, who has brought about a change in the village — she persuaded her mother-in-law to do away with ghunghat and has an interesting, progressive way of teaching children. She, however, couldn’t last long in the show and gave way to another contestant Kishan Yadav who did better and walked away with `12.5 lakhs.
The following episodes had contestants from Amritsar, Nagpur, Bhojwas, etc. When a contestant, Neha Singh, a housewife from Bihar, revealed that she was a fan of Abhishek Bachchan, Big B dialled him and made him talk to her! The first celebrity contestant was Mithali Raj, the captain of Indian women’s cricket team with the other players. While questions have been sourced from different fields and events, most are rooted in India with several related to the new policies introduced by the government.
What is not: It is encapsulating social messages with emphasis on women empowerment, which some may find a bit too much in a game show. The video call doesn’t work as the image is not clear.
Verdict: If you want to add to your gyaan and see Big B at his best, watch the show.
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