Can Bigg Boss revive Sanjay Dutt's career?

We are a few days away to witness the catfights and the kisses to be displayed on the small screen as housemates gradually pack their bags to schedule themselves into the Bigg Boss house, with the reality show returning for its fifth season promising double its star power.

But it’s the hosts this time around who are generating the bulk of the publicity for the reality show that is based on UK’s “Celebrity Big Brother”, with producers roping in Sanjay Dutt as an accomplice to Salman Khan’s trademark sarcasm that has made the show one of the top rated across India.

While trade pundits are convinced that Khan’s and Dutt’s legendary camaraderie will only lend further to the TRP’s of the show, which will air on Colors TV from October 2, social media is also abuzz with sceptics who feel the gimmick will simply not live up to the hype.

“Sanjay Dutt may possess some remarkable traits as an actor, but spontaneity on stage is not one of them,” said 28-year-old Akbar Ismail, who is an ardent follower of the show.

Thirty-year-old Arjun Rawat agrees, adding, “If it’s all about ratings, then I think the producers can expect the TRPs to shoot through the roof for the curtain raiser, but beyond that it isn’t the star power but the politics inside the house that will pull the viewers in.

“And frankly, Sanjay Dutt is simply the wrong choice for such a show where he is required to think on his feet and interact with people.”

While fans and critics eagerly wait for October 2 to roll around to catch the inmates dig up the dirt on each other as they cocoon themselves in a closed house, shut off from the outside world for three months, with one being eliminated every week, this experience will also be an acid test for Dutt himself who is attempting to reinvent his career after a string of flops in his kitty.

While this year’s “Double Dhamaal” made a decent earning at the global box office, it was critically panned, as were Dutt’s earlier outings, including “No Problem” and “Knock Out”.

A lot is riding on the actor’s upcoming film that he has also co-produced, with “Rascals” hitting the marquee in October and his ability to garner the ratings and sustain his credibility by pulling in the masses for his TV show.

Time will only tell whether Dutt will score big on TV and revive his career like superstar Amitabh Bachchan managed in 2000 with the hit show “Kaun Banega Crorepati?” or be eliminated like the inmates from the house.

But Emirates 24|7 takes the opportunity to plan a trip down memory lane, recalling Dutt’s predecessors who attempted to switch from big screen to small and simply couldn’t taste success or resurrect their careers.

Manisha Koirala and Anupam Kher – Sawaal Dus Crore Ka

Hot on the heels of Star Plus’ “KBC” money-spinner, many copycat shows sprung into action in year 2000, with perhaps the saddest of them lot being Zee TV’s “Sawaal Dus Crore Ka”.

Although the prize money was 10 times that of “KBC”, the Zee TV counterpart simply could not repeat the charisma of Bachchan with lesser-known actors, Manisha Koirala and Anupam Kher.

In fact, Koirala’s wooden act was particularly panned and Kher finally quit the show halfway through, with Ashutosh Rana stepping up to fill those shoes.

Finally, the satellite channel wizened up and yanked the damp squib off air.

Madhuri Dixit – Kahin Na Kahin Koi Hai

Back in 2007, Madhuri Dixit attempted a comeback to tinseltown after marriage. And no, it wasn’t the Yash Raj Films’ flop-buster “Aaja Nachle”, but the reality show. “Kahin Naa Kahin Koi Hai” on Sony TV.

The show did away with all the gimmickry and focused on hunting for your soulmate with Dixit as your guide.

However, all that initial buzz did nothing to save the show’s rating and shortly after, “Kahin Na Kahin Koi Hai” was taken off air.

Govinda – Jeeto Chappar Phad Ke

The actor fell on hard times in the late 2000s, when his receding hairline, growing belly and a stint in politics left him allegedly strapped for cash.

Govinda naturally turned to the idiot box in 2008 in a bid to pull a Bachchan who successfully resurrected his own fortunes with the success of “Kaun Banega Crorepati?”

However, Sony Entertainment Television’s “Jeeto Chappar Phaad Ke”, a “KBC” spin-off fast turned into a damp squib, with the producers winning a lot of panning from critics and audience alike.

Jackie Shroff – India's Magic Star

Jackie Shroff (remember him?), attempted a comeback on the small screen with Star One’s show “India’s Magic Star”. The actor shared the stage as the celebrity judge, along with noted illusionists Franz Harary, Rajath and Vasanth.

Launched in 2010, while the show’s concept itself was unique with the talent hunt to reveal India’s top magician, and even Shroff himself was funny and contained for a change, the competition still lacked a punch due to its bad publicity and production value.

Akshay Kumar – MasterChef India

Last year, Akshay Kumar took to the idiot box again after hosting “Khatron Ke Khiladi” on Colors TV and switched allegiances to Star Plus, with their cooking competition, “MasterChef India”.

Kumar was the celebrity judge, along chef Ajay Chopra and chef Kunal Kapoor.

However, “MasterChef India” soon went on to become the only Bollywood celeb- hosted reality show in recent times that fared much below expectations, with opening TRPs of 2.6.

The show still chugged on to its end. Finally, earlier this month, a second season was announced, minus Kumar. Instead, the channel has got on board international celebrity chef Vikas Khanna to judge the latest version.

In a statement to the media, Monica Shergill, senior creative director, Star Plus, said, “When we were launching “MasterChef” in India, Akshay’s background was inspirational and a perfect fit from an amateur’s perspective, since the initial phase of his career was in cooking, though it did not take a professional turn.

“However, themed “Ab Badlo India Apne Khaane Ka Andaaz”, the latest season of “MasterChef India” is positioned as a bigger, tougher culinary challenge and we therefore, decided to take Vikas Khanna on board.”

We wonder if Kumar is taking it that way.

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