Much
to the relief of the saas-bahu ridden viewer, Star is coming out
with a fresh, feel young karaoke programme Kismey Kitnaa Hai
Dum (KKHD).
The first karaoke show to air on Indian TV, KKHD that premieres
7 March, has former Zee property Sonu Nigam playing main host.
The show is the Indian version of the internationally acclaimed
Endemol format, Night Fever. Positioned as a fun show,
it will also have two co hosts - former Miss India Gul Panag and
Hussain (better known as Chirag of Kyunki Saas… fame).
Acclaimed personalities from the world of music will judge different
episodes.
Two celebrity teams, comprising actors, comedians, models, anchors
and sports personalities will vie for the honours. In addition,
a strongly vocal crowd of nearly 300 will be in attendance to
make up the audience. Hectic activity marks the shooting at Film
City where KKHD is taking shape. Between takes, the producer,
director and the hosts spoke to Harish
Patil about their roles, contributions and expectations….
Sonu Nigam
On the assignment: I am doing
three films currently and had no intention of going back to television.
My reluctance stemmed from the apprehension that another music
based show would typecast me. We had more than eight meetings
and screenings of the original show before I accepted the offer.
That was only when I was convinced that my role would be different
from that in Saregama and the money would be good.
On
his role: The energy is palpable in the original
show. It is a tried and tested format and is bound to work given
the popularity of Hindi music in India. I have to ensure that
show is under
Sonu
Nigam
control
and on track. I will not be performing in this show, at least
as of now. We worked a lot on my role and appearance in terms
of diction, posture, hair style and attire. I can say I changed
a lot for this role. I went through a lot of video cassettes of
the original show which helped me understand and learn from its
host (Suggs, a famous rock star). We have even taken care not
to repeat any particular word used in Saregama. The idea
is to give people something different.
On
the experience : I must appreciate the way the
whole show is handled. I have yet to see such systematic working.
We simply do not need to put any additional input as everything
is well planned, right from the script to the set. It is a difficult
show to handle, but the approach simplifies matters a lot. It
is like a party going on forever.
On why he will not perform on the
show: We want to give something different to the
people. If I started performing, it would take the shape of any
other music-based programme. Also, the format of the original
show does not allow the host to perform. This is a karaoke show
where the participants are supposed to sing and enjoy themselves.
On the risk of hosting another music
show on TV : If you check out my music albums,
you will see that they are all different. What matters is whether
I am able to go to the next step in my career. The actual returns
may not be quantitatively high, but whatever I can achieve is
great for me as I manage to accomplish it in the first place.
And I have no regrets for the same.
Gul
Panag
Gul
Panag
On her role as co-host: Hussain
and I will be mainly keeping the crowd live and moving. We are
interacting with the audience to make them a part of the show.
On the show : The show is about music which is a
universal language that cuts across all barriers. The show is
also all about fun and youth. It is like a continuing party. Every
young person, not just from the metros but also from small towns
will be able to relate himself to the show and will enjoy it.
On the work: It's real
fun. I enjoy it thoroughly. I am running a fever today but I am
still on the sets.
Executive Producer Manisha Tripathi
On the idea behind the show :
The idea of the show is karaoke where we provide the lyrics and
people sing along to popular Hindi songs. For the benefit of viewers
at home the lyrics are scrolled across the screen.
The show is based on the international format which
is a huge success in the UK, France, Belgiun as well as USA and
Canada. It is a tried and tested format that we think is suitable
for Indian Viewers. Music is a universal language that has no
bars.
How different is it from the original:
We have adapted the show for Indian viewers. There is
not much of a difference between the original and our version,
as the format is tested and proven. We are confident that Indian
viewers will like it.
How is it different from Antakshari
: It is totally different from Antakshari
as the format is different. The focus is mainly on making people
sing even though they may not know the lyrics. Everyone has an
inner urge to sing, but many a time, the lyrics pose a problem.
For the first time, we will be giving lyrics on the screen.
On why Optimystix was selected as the producer :
We are already doing a few shows with them, and that includes
a music show, so we were confident of their abilities.
On production : The scale of this programme
is very grand as each episode has 10 celebrity participants, a
celebrity judge, our own host and two co-hosts and a studio audience
of 400 strong. To work well with all these elements one has to
be well organized and we have set systems in place from the word
go. We are planning to shoot the one-hour program in real time
and have already accomplished shooting most of our episodes in
two-and-a-half hours flat. We plan to shoot two episodes per day.
We are already through with seven episodes.
On Sonu Nigam's role: The
role of Sonuji is something akin to the only gentleman in the
crowd. He is there by virtue of what he is. Nobody can question
what he is saying. The way he has carried himself is fabulous
and it is working well.
Directors
Vipul Shah and Sanjeev Sharma :
On the selection of Sonu Nigam :We
were looking for an actor who is a good looking and experienced
host as well as reputed and respected in the field of music, which
actually gives us very few options. Sonuji has that kind of persona,
which is a perfect fit for the role. He is one of the few who
speak Hindi and English with equal facility.
On the Show : The aim
of the show is to make the audience watching it want to sing.
Going on the premise that everybody loves to sing, we are providing
a chance to all the amateurs out there, whether they are participating
in the show or just watching it. For the first time, lyrics will
be shown as captions on TV, helping viewers to sing even though
they don't know or remember the words. The idea is to make them
sing and have fun. We expect the show to get
Vipul
.D.Shah
participation
across all walks of life. Even though the basic idea is fun, it
is not age specific. The punch line is Aakhen Check Kar li
kya, gana jo Gana Hai (watch the screen and get ready to sing).
Adaptation of the show:
We have not messed with the format as it is already successful
in the west. There are a few changes we have done - in the original,
there is Pop Monkey who plays assistant and helps the host to
select songs for some rounds. This has been replaced by the character
of Sher Singh.
On
the multi-host and multi-celebrity clutter:The
format of the show is tried and tested and proven successful.
Similarly, even though there are many elements, there is a reason
for everyone to be there, which actually makes the show interesting.
About Celebrity Participants:
Vipul's goodwill with TV communities as well as the Star
brand has helped us get celebrities for the show. For the audience,
we have a coordinator who manages to get crowds from colleges.
About
the set :The set and all other arrangements are per international
standards. We have kept in mind the need and character of the
show and designed the set accordingly. Lighting is also done in
a way that a cheerful mood will be maintained. (The set is designed
by Nitin Desai) We have used an eight-camera set up for the show.
Areas are clearly divided. Vipul, who is basically a writer concentrates
on the script, selection of songs and managing celebrities and
other creatives, while Sanjeev who has a strong advertising background,
looks after production.
Star India corporate communications VP Yash Khanna
"We have bought the rights for the original international
show Night Fever based on which Kismey Kitnaa Hai Dum
(KKHD) is been made.
It is not only the format of the show but the 'Bible' as they
call it, which includes the documentation which tells us what
happened during the making of the show. It helps in understanding
the show, anticipating and solving the problems proactively. So
we need not work on a trial and error basis.
On Thursday, at prime time we have a mini series at 9 pm and Kangan
at 9:30 pm which is winding up. Kismey Kitnaa Hai Dam will
be placed in the same 9 pm slot."
On the amount paid for acquiring the rights:
"No comments."
