There are loads of reasons that helped me take a positive step. Soon, 10 Ka Dum ceased to be a format or a chat show. It became my thanks giving to millions of my fans who have showered their love and blessings to a rather reluctant star.
Thank you friends.
The third thing that really tilted my decision in favor of anchoring 10 Ka Dum is that the entire range of questions and answers were based on a sample survey. Even the simplest of the questions reveal glimpses of the mysterious Indian temperament. However, the greatest temptation to the show was direct interaction with common people.
We stars thrive on adulation and love of the common people and yet we get few chances of meeting them. It’s really a thrilling experience to meet common people. These are the people who elect politicians and create stars. They are also guided by their instincts. Probably this common factor, of instinct, has created tremendous emotional rapport between my fans and me. My contemporaries are highly educated & accomplished people and are very articulate. I am a simpleton in comparison. I know masses love me for what I am and I need not project an image for establishing any rapport with them.
I realized that 10 Ka Dum would give me an opportunity to meet real people. I have been watching faceless and nameless people all my life and now I have a unique chance to meet people- real people with names, addresses and definite identities.
The soul of
The second thing that attracted me to the format am the informality of the show -- it goes to such an extent that the role of anchor and contestants are reversed at times and also interchangeable.
I hate formality and behavioral rituals. I like to be direct.
Beating around the bush is not my cup of tea. The inherent elements of humor and informality in the format made me think very positively about 10 Ka Dum.
The very essence in 10 Ka Dum is very positive…
The greatest temptation to do the show was…see u tomorrow.
I still remember the day when my brother Sohail Khan, who always dreams big, thinks different, brought the proposal to anchor a show for Sony Entertainment Television. I had my reservations. The idea sounded so impractical that I rejected it even without giving it much thought. All my decisions are based on my instinct and some people think that I am too moody and cynical. But believe me I have been guided by my instincts and my heart all my life! I do not depend too much on intelligence, analysis and calculations… I believe in poet Adam who has said: “ Aakal har kaam ko zulum bana deti hai…”. Some meaning is lost in the translation-- that intelligence begets torture and torment and man is lost in deep thought and often feels ashamed of things that have never happened!
However, Sohail, the eternal optimist, and family friend Ajay Chhabaria have tremendous patience and endless power of persuasion. They kept asking me to look into the format closely. Their patience and perseverance paid dividends…
My experience of playing guest contestant in a show had taught me that simple inability to answer questions may humiliate a person in presence of millions of viewers. All such shows have that inherent humiliation. As a matter of fact most students do not ask questions in classrooms is only because of the fear of being refuted by the teacher and the thought of being ridiculed & booed by fellow students.
Questioning has been a taboo and there’s social stigma attached to it which is quite unnecessary. Ours is a very obedient society. We have created an atmosphere in which ignorance has become bliss. What attracted me to the format of 10 Ka Dum is that there is no false shame and sense of humiliation if your answer is wrong. Sample survey has determined the exact answers in form of percentage and nearest to the exact answer is the winner.
This game is simple. It is a game of guessing.
So here I am convinced & ready to go…
The format attracted me…and how! Stay connected will be back tomorrow.
