By Subhash K. Jha, IANS

STAR CEO Samir Nair is confident that superstar Shah Rukh Khan will step into Amitabh Bachchan's shoes with ease when he takes over as the new host of "Kaun Banega Crorepati" (KBC), which goes on air from mid-January next year.

"I think Shah Rukh will do a fantastic job. He'll bring his own unique charm to the show. Like Mr. Bachchan, Shah Rukh is smart and bright.

"We all remember the celebrity episode on KBC which he did. It was one of our best episodes. He brought his own encyclopaedia, did his research and almost won the crore. He'll bring a new spin to the show," Nair told IANS.

Amitabh, who not only hosted the first two innings of KBC, but also spearheaded the channel's movement towards TRP-topping manoeuvres that have stood the channel in good stead for over five years, is no longer going to be seen in the host's seat.

Nair attributes this startling change of guard to the original host's busy schedules.

"We pursued Mr. Bachchan for months. But he didn't seem to be very enthusiastic. In the meantime we acquired KBC rights in the season-format for years whereby we had to have the show on air for 52 episodes every year, or our rights lapsed. We just had to take a call.

"In the light of Mr. Bachchan's response, we had no choice but to think of someone else who was capable of taking on the mantle."

Shah Rukh is apparently very kicked by the game show.

"We were in talks from early November. In 2003, when KBC broke and there was talk that Mr. Bachchan might not do it, we had approached Shah Rukh. But nothing came of it.

"This time when we spoke to him in October he gave us dates immediately in January. It was our good fortune, good planning. We start telecast in mid-Jan, four times a week."

There seems to be a hurry to go on air.

"It's very simple. We do it before or after the World Cup. We're doing it before. I've a window of opportunity available now, why not? So, the question, will anyone be able to live up to Mr. Bachchan's reputation on the host's seat? I don't think we need to compare the two. It's like James Bond. You can't compare Sean Connery with Daniel Craig, or the two Dons."

STAR hopes to cultivate a new breed of viewership.

"We're forever indebted to Mr. Bachchan for doing KBC and legitimising our channel per se. He made it all happen. Now the mantle passes on. And no one better to take it on than Shah Rukh Khan who interestingly enough comes from television (he did serials on Doordarshan before films). He has a soft corner for the medium.

"As satellite television in India moves forward, we need someone like Shah Rukh to take that movement forward. I'm very kicked. I've always been a super-fan of Mr. Bachchan. We at STAR spoke to him about renewing KBC. But after a point we had to respect his wishes. To be honest, Shah Rukh asked me if he doesn't do KBC, then what. I told him, then we would have a problem."

There will be no radical change in the show.

"Same lifelines, same Rs.2-crore prize money and the set remains the same," assures Samir.

Finally, what sort of fee has exchanged hands?

"It's adequate," laughs Nair.

As adequate as it was for Mr. Bachchan? "Yes, more than adequate," comes the reply.