Kaun Banega Crorepati premiered on Sony Television for the first time on 3rd July 2000 and was hosted by actor Amitabh Bachchan in its first season. It has since became of the best and most widely seen quiz shows in India and it is both because it is hosted by the greatest living actor of our times and also because it gives common people in the public chance to change their lives by winning prize money’s that could fulfill their desires and wishes. It is watched by the large potion of public because they see themselves in the place of the contestants and want to be on the show themselves.
The popularity of the show is also because of its relatively short amount of its episodes and the high sum of the money, which has been doubled up since the beginning, from 1 crore in season 1 to 2 crores in the second, and now has been expanded to 7 crores. The contestant has to answer 16 questions to win the prize money and any wrong reply is going to result in elimination and reduction in the prize money.
Through its nine seasons, the show has endured as a testament that people with intellect are always able to achieve whatever they want to, because they have faith in their knowledge and are confident in what they believe. The show is also popular because of the hosting prowess of Amitabh Bachchan, who had to return to the show after the Season 4, hosted by superstar Shahrukh Khan flopped. Amitabh Bachchan has the right blend of charisma and wisdom that the audience missed when Shahrukh Khan took the responsibility to carry the show on his shoulders.
There are a few steps that a contestant has to cover before he/she is able to sit before Bachchan in the hotseat. Before the beginning of each season, the show sends out questions that the public has to answer and then send the message, through which some of the lucky contestants are selected and subjected to rounds of interviews after which they are confirmed to be in contention and can appear on the show.
But, before they’re able to sit on the hotseat, they again have to go through a round called Fastest Finger First, in which a question is asked to the contestants and the first one to answer correctly is selected for the main quiz.
The Main game is comprised of 16 questions that the contestant has to answer, and initially, there is a time limit under which the contestant has to reply, but after a certain threshold is surpassed, he/she is free to answer the question in as much time as he/she wants. There are variety of lifelines that are presented to the contestant, so that he/she can get help if he/she is stuck on a question or is confused about the options. Audience poll helps them decide what the people think the correct answer is, or the contestant can call his/her friend or mentor through phone a friend and ask them for advice. In the current season, another life line was added that lets a family friend from the audience to come to the contestant and advice them on the question.
Every contestant wants to become the first person to be crorepati (millionaire), but only few have gotten successful. Recently, Anamika Mazumdar became the first woman to win 1 crore in season 9. There will surely be other seasons to come, and maybe other hosts too, but Amitabh Bachchan has been such an unforgettable presence in the show that his image would be hard to clean from it, and we’d be always grateful for him for keep returning and keeping the hopes of people alive.
