Chitter chatter

Celeb quotient: Garewal’s guest list read like the who’s who of India. She’s probably the only host to get the Bachchans and the Gandhis on her show and even managed to ensnare the elusive Ratan Tata.

Tearjerker quotient: Copious tears were shed – both by the host and her guests – as the latter recounted their years of struggle and the former sympathised with them in word and gesture.

Rating: Garewal gets full marks for her pedigreed guests,but as TV personality Tanaz Irani says,“Her show got so boring because she was always too poised; she couldn’t connect with the audience.”

Koffee with Karan

Karan Johar’s show probably had the most beautiful sets. He broke new ground with his inimitable style – being comfortable enough with his guests to call them Jaya Aunty and Amit Uncle.

Celeb quotient: Given Johar’s tight Bollywood circle,it isn’t surprising that all his friends appeared on the show – some,like Shah Rukh Khan,even came twice. But his triumph lay in convincing his guests to be a little less than politically correct – the most memorable such instance being when Kareena Kapoor,made evident her dislike of Bipasha Basu and her beau John Abraham.

Tearjerker quotient: Tears,Johar would have us believe,were anathema to the rarefied atmosphere of his sets. There was much backslapping,but no soul-baring.

Rating: Johar never shied from asking his guests controversial questions. However as actress Suchitra Pillai says,“You could see the camaraderie he shared with his guests,but he always knew where to tread and where not to.”

Oye! It’s Friday!

Filmmaker turned actor and singer,Farhan Akhtar also turned into a chat show host with Oye! It’s Friday! It was less about chatting and more about variety – skits,dance,music and showcasing Akhtar’s unparalleled skill at making bad jokes. Of course,given his boyish charm,most viewers laughed,rather than cringed.

Celeb quotient: Akhtar had some famous celebrities such as Shah Rukh Khan,Hrithik Roshan and Shilpa Shetty,drop in and shed their inhibitions on screen. So we had SRK spoofing his famous arms-wide-open gesture,while Roshan shared reminiscences about beating Akhtar at childhood dance competitions.

Tearjerker quotient: If there were any tears on this show,they were those of laughter. Akhtar played the role of the good-natured goof to perfection,and rounded up each episode with a humorous list known as ‘Farhan’s Top Ten’.

Rating: Akhtar gets top points for swerving away from the traditional chat show format and connecting with a younger audience. “Most celebs give the same rehearsed answers on shows,” says Irani,“Akhtar changed the format by making his guests act out skits and brought out their true selves.”

On the couch with Koel

Actress Koel Purie’s centered on a novel concept – that of a big,furry red couch,which travelled with her,as she traversed the country,talking to celebrities in a variety of settings – from a beach to a farmhouse. Apart from the Freudian implications of the couch,the USP of On the Couch was the host’s girlish charm.

Celeb quotient: To many people’s surprise,Purie,no heavyweight herself,managed to get some very powerful guests. So ranging from Shah Rukh Khan to former cabinet minister Kamal Nath,Purie grilled many a powerful person on her show.

Tearjerker quotient: The show was mostly informal with plenty of playful bantering,but Purie did manage to get her guests to share diverting anecdotes from their past. Viewers,for instance,found out that Kamal Nath was nicknamed Rolly during his years at Doon School,due to his rotundity.

Rating: Despite her enthusiasm,or perhaps because of it,Purie ends up fawning on most of her guests,rather than putting them on the spot. “She asks the most mundane questions – nothing controversial that would make guests squirm in their seats,” complains viewer Dhruti Shah.