It is nerve wracking to be a first time host : Abhishek Bachchan

Monday afternoon’s National Bingo Night press conference proved Abhishek Bachchan had a great sense of humour and given a chance he can bring the floor down. Like father like son? Not really, because while the senior Bachchan has a dry sense of humour, Junior was more endearing and came across as one among us. Abhishek, who makes his TV debut with Colors’ first game show, was in his element as he shook a leg, cracked jokes at others and most importantly at himself, went and sat amidst the journos and put everyone at ease even as the channel programming head Ashvini Yardi and Fox’s Nachiket Pant Vaidya stood on stage and watched him surely hijack the event! They probably thanked God to have got a host who was affable and entertaining. In short, he delivered a paisa vasool performance at the PC. National Bingo Night goes on air this Saturday at 9 pm and we will soon know if he delivers as a host. After the press conference which Chhota B claimed to be “fun thing to do”, TellyChakkar stole a few minutes with the star on his debut television outing and more. Excerpts from an interview: What made you accept this show? I had got many offers but nothing was as attractive as Bingo. I wanted to do a show which involved people interaction. This concept really pulled me out of my house to work. To me, television and cinema serve the same purpose – to entertain. Colors pitched for this show and I loved the format. What I think is that we all really work hard and every one of us really needs to relax, chill, put our feet up, and play Bingo with the entire family! You are bound to be compared with your father Amitabh Bachchan as well as other star-hosts? These things do not bother me. I know my father is the best and if people compare me with him then I feel great as I am compared with the best. As far as Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and others are concerned they are brilliant. There is no competition as such because the nature of all our shows is different. Do you believe in working hard or luck? Of course, I believe in hard work, but a little aaram is also important in life. I am in a profession where we work really hard so we too are entitled to just chill and relax. However I still believe that to be in the film industry one needs to have 1% of talent, 1% of hard work and 98% of luck.” Is this show similar to Housie? The only difference here is that unlike Housie we will have numbers from 1 to 75 and the viewers sitting at home can also play this game. So the chances of common people winning various prizes are very high. It is not gambling, it is a skilled game, where we will ask simple questions to the person who has got the Bingo card. It is a very interesting game show. I hope, people like it. Your father will be the first guest on the show… Yes, but we haven’t shot the episode yet. I do keep telling him to take it easy and relax. I think most of the people in our country want him to take care of his health. As a son, I am concerned but as his biggest fan, I want him to work so that I can see an Amitabh Bachchan film every Friday! Since he doesn’t take time off, I am getting him on the show and asking him to do aaram. I am excited to shoot with him and I think he will enjoy it. His visit on the sets is going to be kind of a blessing for me. Did he give you any tips? We do not discuss too many things. He’s told me to simply go and there and have fun and be natural with the contestants, put them at ease. But still this is my first show where people will see me as the person I am and not any character, so yes, it’s nerve wracking for me! Have you played Housie? I remember that all actors living in Juhu would go to Kashmir for summer vacations. Dad would shoot his films there. In Srinagar, at the Oberoi hotel they would arrange Tambola. I did play that game but I don’t remember whether I won it ever. I was more interested in playing Snake and Ladders, Ludo and Monopoly. My sister used to be the banker in it; she was a bit strict so I never had a chance to cheat. What is the laziest thing you have done so far? Mostly we do not get time but I like to lounge at home with family and catch up with friends. But I don’t remember the last time I did that. Who has designed your costumes? Manish Malhotra. I am not shopaholic, and my mum, dad or Ash do my styling and shopping for me. I am not good at it. Any memorable moments in the show so far? I shot with Arshad (Warsi), Vidya (Balan), Deepika (Padukone), Farhan (Akhtar), Kirron aunty (Kher), Sonali (Bendre), Vindu (Dara Singh), they are all my friends. It was fun to play with them, since Kirron aunty was a badminton player I played it with her. We had to do some song and dance, have some fun, let our hair down to entertain the audience. Only playing the game wouldn’t have been sufficient. And my memorable episode has to be the one we shot in Udaipur with two common contestants winning the show. The way their faces lighten up, their joy, enthusiasm everything was interesting to watch. Are you open to doing more shows? I do not consider television a small medium. I am ready to do fiction shows as well if Colors offers me. Some have even suggested I play the older Jagya in Balika Vadhu! As far as reality shows are concerned, let’s see how this fares! Will Aishwarya be part of this show? She has not shot for the show and there are many episodes to go, so you never know she just might appear!