New Delhi: Veteran television host and actor Mohan Kapur reflects on his memorable stint with Wheel of Fortune, sharing warm memories of the show and expressing admiration for Akshay Kumar as its new host.
He revisits the early days of Indian reality television, the challenges faced by international formats, and the unmatched uniqueness of shows like Saanp Seedi. Mohan Kapur also offers candid views on the evolution of reality shows, celebrity-driven formats, and the need to nurture genuine talent beyond TRPs.
Mohan Kapur on Wheel of Fortune, Akshay Kumar, and the changing face of indian reality TV
The actor spoke in a candid chat with News9, ”I think Akshay is a rockstar, and he can do anything. He’s gonna make it so much fun. He’s gonna be so encouraging towards the participants. He’s gonna be a treat to watch for the viewers. He’s a worthy successor for hosting that show than me. I wish him all the luck. It’s a great show. Maybe it was too ahead of its time when I hosted it when it was first brought to India. It’s an international show. But that time, Sony was also a new channel. It’s great that it’s coming back and Akshay is hosting it. That show didn’t get its due. For whatever reason, it didn’t do well back in the day. Wheel of Fortune is a big show. People abroad discuss it in the same way they talk about Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
I do remember that many TV actors were there as celebrity guests. Then, of course, there were the regular participants. It was great fun shooting that show. I had come out of doing a Saanp Seed, so everybody was expecting a kind of madness from me. I remember telling the producer that everything can’t be Saanp Seedi. It’d be stupid. That was one avatar of mine. And this show wasn’t like Saanp Seedi, so there was no point getting into the Saanp Seedi avatar. And the producers agreed with me. Even Saanp Seedi was a unique show, that too original. Wheel of Fortune and KBC are adaptations of international formats. The uniqueness of Saanp Seedi created a lot of interest because, after Doordarshan, it was the first thing that happened in India and Asia. So, it created a lot of excitement among people. Wheel of Fortune came soon after that, but it didn’t get its fair share. But I’m glad that they’re bringing it back with one of the biggest stars of our industry. I’m definitely looking forward to watching the show because I love watching Akshay. He’s so inspiring, fun, mischievous and good-looking and connects with all age groups in the audience.
Evolution of reality shows in India
Today, if somebody says reality shows, they talk about Bigg Boss, Splitsvilla, etc. I do not watch those shows. The concepts of reality shows are great, but I think to gain the eyeballs, the way they are conducted is not my cup of tea. I can’t watch that stuff. It’s all about sleazy stuff, and they talk nonsense. I’m sure they’re doing it for TRPs, but you’re lowering the IQ. Some people might find it entertaining bit I don’t subscribe to it.
Importance of a celebrity for a reality show
Unfortunately, in India, it is because they believe that a celebrity can pull the audience into a reality show. Of course, a celebrity helps. I think celebrities are like garnishing. If you’ve prepared halwa, then the show must be the base, and the celebrity should be like the dryfruits topping on the halwa. If you focus only on garnishing and not care about the content, then… Because the common people who participate in a show have a lot of interesting stories and content. The talent hunt shows which is also a reality shows are fantastic. I don’t know whether they’re rigged or not. I look at it purely from the way they’re conducted. The talent they’re canvassing is superb. The kind of talent that this country has is unreal. I’m gobsmacked. But I just wish that many of them get opportunities because they managed to come on the television after a lot of hardships. What happens to them after winning a show? You get one Kapil Sharma from the hundreds of winners. Why can’t there be ten Kapil Sharmas? Why isn’t the industry supporting talents?