MUMBAI: It seems to have become an unwritten rule of the game. Now-a-days broadcasters have started to realise that reality shows can run by getting celebrity hosts to garner more eyeballs.
A big celebrity host is a prerequisite to launch a reality show in India. Celebrity participants, though important, are not mandatory; but the bigger the host, the better.
From Salman Khan and Farah Khan in Big Boss to Shah Rukh Khan for a game show - India Poochega – Sabse Shaana Kaun in the yet-to-be launched general entertainment channel (GEC) ‘&TV’ under the Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) stable. Likewise, there are many more names in the basket.
After having popular celebrity faces like Priyanka Chopra and Akshay Kumar as hosts for its adventure based reality show - Fear Factor Khatron Ke Khiladi, last year the show got a new face on-board.
The director, who is known for reviving the action genre on the celluloid, Rohit Shetty who hosted the fifth edition of the series, will continue to host the sixth season as well.
According to Colors CEO Raj Nayak casting in this season is the best so far. “All faces are popular. Moreover, the number of stunts has increased and you will see a lot of variations. Last year, it was the best season ever and this time we hope it surpasses that."
The show, which goes on air from 7 February every Saturday and Sunday at 9 pm, will see Ashish Choudhary, Hussain Kuwarjerwala, Harshad Arora, Iqbal Khan, Sana Khan. Sagrika Ghartge, Rashami Desai, Asha Negi, Ridhhi Dogra, Meiyang Chang, Rakesh Kumar, Siddharth Bharadwaj, Nathalia Kaur and Archana Vijaya battling it out.
The contestants will stay in a ‘Darr ka Ghar’ this time to keep the entertainment quotient up. Adding a twist to the take and urging the contestants to push their boundaries will be last year’s finalist Salman Yusuff Khan who will be seen as a challenger.
Endemol MD Deepak Dhar said, “Khatron ... will be riveting for the viewers as it has been taxing for the contestants. We have doubled the dose of danger, action and entertainment this season while introducing new concepts and themes to make the show a truly engaging watch. Rohit Shetty’s contribution in making the show a complete blockbuster has been unparalleled and as the show prepares for launch, we are all set for the true action to begin.”
According to sources, the budget has also gone up by about 25 per cent as compared to the last season. While last season the production of the non-fiction show was pegged at Rs 50-55 crore, this season media planners estimate it to be around Rs 60-65 crore.
Media planners believe that the show will definitely continue to work wonders for the channel, thanks to the celebrity power status and power packed stunts that will keep viewers hooked onto the show.
