Bollywood Celebrities Eyeing The Small Screen

Over the last one decade the TV media sector in India has evolved as an industry in itself, with its own changing dynamics. We the audiences have been witnessing a boom in Indian television. Besides the usual saas-bahu mundane crap and now overly exercised reality shows, we have also been noticing a lot of leading Bollywood celebrities taking the plunge into Indian television. Evidently not all made it to the top in the small screen horizon. Some hit it big, but many hit it off real bad!

I guess it kicked off with yester year’s actress Aruna Irani taking her leap to the small screen back in 2001, getting television buffs hooked onto her debut serial Mehndi Tere Naam Ki on Zee. No sooner had she been given much deserved credit for her performance that she has been induced to take on more. Her next serial was a family drama titled Desh Mein Nikla Hoga Chand which turned out to be a huge success. Her journey not ending there she further went on to produce Rabba Ishq Na Hove.

Further 2003 also saw one time leading Bollywood actress Sridevi making her comeback on Indian television with Sahara Television’s Malini Iyer, as a South Indian housewife in a Punjabi family. Like wise Karishma Kapoor after lying low for quite sometime made her debut television venture, the mega serial, Karishma – Miracles of Destiny, for which she kept her film career on the backburner.

Others to join the bandwagon were Raveena Tandon shooting for Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam. Manisha Koirala with Sawal Dus Crore Ka. Govinda with Jeeto Chappad Phad Ke. Madhuri Dixit with her matrimonial show called Kahin Na Kahin Koi Hai. Hema Malini and her double take with Kamini-Damini. These celluloid deities have floundered miserably on television.

Elaborating on some of the success stories, how can we forget the legend himself Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, a major milestone in his career was Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), a game show which was adapted from the UK based game show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. The first episode of the show was aired in 2000 and ran successfully for months until 2001. The second installment of the show, KBC2, commenced in 2005. From KBC onwards, Amitabh Bachchan once again regained his position in Bollywood.

During the late 90s, the film critics labeled him as yester years Bollywood film star. His movies did miserably at the box office; his health was in a critical condition. Also, his movie production and distribution company, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited (ABCL), went bankrupt and he was in large debt. All these problems blackened Mr. Bachchan’s future. The new millennium brought in great hope and good fortune for the super star and the major success came through KBC.

Many say that the ever so famous Shah Rukh Khan aped the Big B and opinions are divided whether Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is as popular as mega superstar Amitabh Bachchan on Kaun Banega Crorepati. Well according to news reports and TAM (television audience measurement) ratings it seems that not many viewers are willing to sit through the show with SRK anchoring it. There seems to live a supposed rivalry between the two, and no one is revealing the cause behind Mr. Bachchan’s dethroning from the anchor seat. Producers claim that gliding TRP in KBC2 and their endeavor to target a younger audience brought about this change of guard but somehow this lame explanation makes little sense to me.

The smartest amongst them all or maybe it was her nationality that gave her the winning edge is none other than our oomph-lady Shilpa Shetty and her stint at Celebrity Big Brother 2007, the fifth series of the United Kingdom reality television series Big Brother. Shetty is the first Indian celebrity included in the Celebrity version and was reportedly paid Rs.31.5m (£367,500) for her participation.

In January 2007 this series attracted the largest ever number of public complaints to the UK broadcasting watchdog Ofcom. The complaints revealed concerns that Shilpa had been subjected to bullying, allegedly with undertones of racism. This aroused a sea of worldwide controversies making Shilpa an overnight international household name. She won the contest after gaining 63% of the public vote and described the experience as "incredible and overwhelming" – Ya! Shilpa we feel ya.

Well sky is the limit for her with the large number of commercial offers, lead roles at the western musical like Chicago and Bombay Dreams, appearing in films and on television; product endorsements, cookery shows; autobiography, Jane Fonda like fitness videos, formal invitations to meet Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and Prime Minister Tony Blair – the list seems unending.

Latest being that the actress will be the next face for British clothing brand Marks & Spencer, for this year’s Autumn/Winter collection. The contract is worth £150,000 approximately, but the she may be re-signed if the sales increase significantly.

Similarly apni Entertainment Power House uff Ms. Rakhi Sawant who before the popularity of Bigg Boss was merely considered an item girl for Bollywood movies and sleazy news stories. Today her act in the reality show has made her a house-hold name and given her image a complete new make-over. Though Rahul Roy won the final round, in my opinion Rakhi was the ultimate winner who walked away with maximum popularity and numerous television stints and film roles.

Regardless of the success or failure the small screen has brought on immense exposure and openings to these celebrities. Tables have turned, now these glittering Bollywood personalities are realizing the scope of the Indian television. Almost all are venturing into it for their much cherished fame and fortune not bothering one bit about a tarnished image of leaping from the very big screen onto a small one!

[Cross-posted on DesiDabba]