Abid, Bollywood Trade News Network

Even before the first episode of KYA AAP PAANCHVI PAAS SE TEZ HAIN was aired, anchor Shah Rukh Khan had declared that it would get higher ratings than the Indian Premier League matches (IPL), which interestingly also has Shah Rukh's own team, Kolkata Knight Riders. The opening episode of the show nearly proved him right with the first episode of the quiz show garnering a rating of 4.7, while IPL matches on Sony Max got a slightly higher 5.0. The second episode of KAPPS was marginally higher at 3.7 as compared to IPL's 3.6. However, the subsequent episodes of KAPPS could not maintain the same momentum and the same level of audience enthusiasm.

A leading Bollywood trade expert says that quiz shows are a passe. And it seems unlikely that a quiz show is going to attract eyeballs, unless there is something radically different, unique and novel. The show hosted by the charismatic Shah Rukh Khan in his inimitable style is unlikely to notch up high TRPs and it has nothing to do with the superstar's performance. KAUN BANEGA CROREPATI (adaptation of 'Who wants to be a Millionaire') at least tested one's general knowledge. Many questions in PAANCHVI PAAS are so text bookish that even Bollywood's global superstar fails to involve the audience / viewers.

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan too touched on the subject and has a few interesting points to make. Just last week he said on his blog - The strength of KBC as a game show is quite apparent. 'Who wants to be a Millionaire' was and is successful in over 80 countries, so India moved with some degree of advantage, Star TV having tested the waters so to speak, before its launch.

He also asks a few pertinent questions:-

1) Is the format of question answer game shows loosing its shine?

2) Despite the presence of the biggest name in the business, why its depleted performance?

3) Are the TV ratings a correct indicator of the popularity of a particular show?

4) The number of people accessible to TV has exponentially gone up. Does this reflect positively or negatively on the ratings?

5) Is the fall in ratings due to the increase in the number of channels?

Then there are others who feel that KAPPS will come into its own once the IPL matches get over. They also point that King Khan's involvement and the matches of his own team Kolkata Knight Riders have at many times overlapped the airing time of KAPPS. Amusingly, they say, SRK of IPL has cannibalized the SRK of KYA AAP PAANCHVI PAAS SE TEZ HAIN!