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'There will be some changes in KBC'
Kaun Banega Crorepati will return to your television screens on October 11, which happens to be show host Amitabh Bachchan's birthday.
The prize money has been increased from 1 crore to 5 crore, and the number of questions has been reduced from 15 to 13.
Amitabh Bachchan tells us more about the show.
KBC 4 will be launched on your birthday. So that will double the excitement for your fans.
Birthdays come and go. But to get an opportunity to start Kaun Banega Crorepati on my birthday makes me really proud. I thank the channel for this and hope the audiences find it exciting too.
'We have introduced a new lifeline'
How will this season be different from the earlier ones?
There are some changes but the basic format remains unchanged. It has become sharper and faster with the prize money of 5 crore. There will be 12 questions for the 1 crore question. The 13th question will have a jackpot of 5 crore.
I want to thank Sony Entertainment Television for increasing the prize money. The jackpot can change someone's life.
Plus, a new lifeline -- ask an expert -- will be introduced instead of phone a friend and audience poll.
Is there any change in the kind of contestants this season?
Yes. Some of the contestants are from small villages and towns. They are very enthusiastic and knowledgeable and have gone on to win 25 lakh. They have the knowledge but sadly, even though they are educated, they have not been able to go beyond a certain level because they don't have money.
Those people now want to earn money, go back to their village and use if for their children's education. That is the commitment they have.
'78 percent of people in India live on Rs 20 a day'
Was there a feeling of deja vu when you went on the sets for the shooting?
There was always a feeling of being here before but everyday is new on KBC. The contestant's back story and how far s/he is going to go makes it interesting.
The game has its own interesting value but it is the contestant who makes the show interesting, not me.
I read somewhere that 78 per cent of people in India live on 20 a day. That is quite sad. It's a life-changing experience for them when they earn lakhs in a minute.
One of the contestants said that he had never seen so many zeros in his life.
'I'm sure Salman is going to be very good'
You started the trend of big stars coming on TV in 2000 and now there are quite a few of them. Do you think the competition has now come down to TV?
It's fantastic to have so many members from the film industry associating themselves with TV. I don't think we work because we want to compete with each. That's a wrong attitude and we should dispel that idea. I think we should enjoy what we do and be happy with what we do.
Do you think you are more comfortable hosting KBC than Bigg Boss?
If I make a commitment to do a show, I give it 100 percent. I don't think the quality of the show has got anything to do with me doing a show or not.
Salman Khan is hosting Bigg Boss, which you hosted last season. Any advice for him?
I am sure he is going to be very good.