Are we game?

This also reminds us of a phenomenon called Amitabh Bachchan and Kaun Banega Crorepati that hit the small screen and raised the stakes in game shows to a stratospheric level. Post KBC,not many could replicate its popularity and hence the genre saw a downfall. Now we wonder,how long will the interest in Bingo sustain or will we witness the sad demise of yet another game show.

According to Ashvini Yardi,head of programming,Colors,“Colors has always opted for unconventional programming and launching National Bingo Night was part of the strategy. Moreover,audiences like game shows that are interactive and something that they have played in the past and they are familiar with. Bingo is a game that people have played at birthdays and kitty parties. This is precisely the reason why game shows worked in India,initially.” The human interest factor has gone and audiences have since found pleasure in candid camera shows like Bigg Boss and Emotional Atyachaar,which at least provide some sort of voyeuristic pleasure.

In 1992,when Mohan Kapur unleashed Saanp Seedi on a novelty-hungry audience or when commoners were asked to guess the price of groceries and home appliances on Tol Mol Ke Bol,television saw a revolution and game shows became an integral part of TV programming. “The idea was to get as many people to participate and hence give people a chance to appear on television. Shows like Omang Kumar’s Ek Minute and Tol Mol did not require being skilled. Most viewers sat at home and said,“I could have done it!” and this is what made these shows popular with all age-groups. Bingo too is a rage in every household. Everyone has played it at some point in their lives,” says Mini Mathur,anchor of Tol Mol Ke Bol.

It was in that era that other shows like Surf Wheel of Fortune,Close-up Antakshari and Master Card Family Fortunes worked wonders and took the genre to dizzying heights. Mohan Kapur,host of Saanp Seedi feels,“During those days television had variety because nobody knew what would work in the favour of the channel. But now with kitchen politics sagas doing well,channels have found a formula. It will be nice if there is a resurgence of game shows now. I don’t think anyone will be happier than me if that happens.”

While Bingo is targeted at the common man and showcases a game that is already popular,TRPs of just the first episode do not put the show in a high bracket. “Abhishek is a charming host and most people would have watched it just to compare him with his father,” feels Mathur. While there could be plenty of arguments on the format,the host or anchor is of prime importance,feels Parikshit Bhatia,a viewer of Bingo. “For instance,Mohan Kapur’s enthusiasm made a silly game like Snakes & Ladders a rage and Annu Kapoor’s anecdotes made viewing Antakshari a rewarding experience.”

But Siddhartha Basu of Big Synergy says,“A host plays a vital part in any show,but that’s not the beginning or end of the story.” All this after roping in Shah Rukh Khan,Salman Khan and Soha Ali Khan for KBC2,10 Ka Dum and Khelo,Jeeto,Jiyo respectively.