A s the fourth season of game show ‘Ningalkumaakaam Kodeeswaran’ (the Malayalam version of ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire’) returns to the small screen via Asianet, it has been preceded by the usual hype, including promos showing glimpses of host Suresh Gopi and emotional outbursts of participants from all over Kerala, nay, India. Co-produced by Siddhartha Basu’s BIG Synergy and Asianet, the channel’s side of operations is headed by senior producer M.R. Rajan. Paring off the hype surrounding the show, Rajan asserts that the one-hour programme is a celebration of knowledge and perhaps the only one of its kind on Malayalam television. Excerpts from an interview with Rajan:
What is new about the show in this season?
Our focus is on helping the common man fulfil his dreams with the help of his knowledge. This time, there were more than five lakh applicants to participate in the programme. We decided to select needy contenders; people who needed the money for education, medical help, shelter, livelihood and so on. It was a gruelling task to select a small number from such a large pool of applicants. Each episode will have eight contestants.
M.R. Rajan, senior producer, Asianet
What is the USP of celebrity host Suresh Gopi?
Siddhartha Basu says that he is the best host after Amitabh Bachchan. And Basu should know after having worked with Tamil, Telugu and Kannada hosts of the same game show. Suresh Gopi’s ability to empathise with the participants is commendable. He makes them feel at ease and that ensures that the participants give their best during the game. He enjoys the game and that enhances the feel of the game for viewers and participants.
Who takes care of punchlines and script of the show?
We have a team of script writers for the show. There are about 100 people working behind the scenes. Some of them are from BIG Synergy and the rest are from Asianet. There is a central pool of resource persons who create the questions for the show and there is a team of people who create Kerala-specific questions for each episode. Moreover, questions will also be created for all eight of the contestants in each episode, keeping in mind their aptitude and background.
For the first time, the entire show will be shot at our studio in Puliyarakonam with our technicians and resources. The first two editions were shot in Chennai.
What about celebrity guests who participate in the show?
Their participation is for charity and they donate the prize money they have won for different causes they support or to help people. For instance, playback singer Sujatha donated the money she won to a student who wanted financial help to pursue higher studies in music. Miya gave away her winnings to someone who wanted to build a house.
In the time of soaps and chat shows, what is the place of a programme like this?
That is the USP of the programme. It is for the family and we have a loyal viewership for the show cutting across age barriers. Earlier, it used to be aired from 9 p.m. onwards. This time, we have changed it to the 9.30 p.m. slot but we don’t think there will be a dip in viewership. In fact, this is one TV programme that parents would like their children to watch. Like I said earlier, it is a celebration of knowledge and how learning can change your life.
(‘Ningalkkumaakaam Kodeeswaran’ will be telecast from Monday to Thursday at 9.30 p.m. on Asianet)
