Akshay Kumar back on Khatron Ke Khiladi; gets Thums Up along

Cine star Akshay Kumar, the first host for Khatron Ke Khiladi (KKK) aired on Colors, is back again on the show.

Priyanka Chopra has been dropped, though industry sources estimate that last year the show sold at a premium of 20 per cent in comparison to its second season, and touched revenues worth Rs 100 crore. Last year, the show also garnered more viewership - as per TAM data (C&S 4+, HSM), Khatron Ke Khiladi Season 3 has registered an opening TVR of 5.49, while the second edition of the show had an opening TVR of 4.37.

Ashvini Yardi, head, programming, Colors says, "Each year the challenge is to present to the viewers something new, exceptional and clutter breaking - this was the reason to bring back the actor."

Yardi further adds, "This season, the show is completely integrated with brand Thums Up - from the concept to approach - and therefore, Kumar fits in perfectly."

Interestingly, Kumar happens to be the brand ambassador for the cola brand as well and logically no other person would fit the scheme - if this is the case.

Yardi reasons that even for its other reality show Bigg Boss, the channel prefers a new host each time. It started with Shilpa Shetty, followed by Amitabh Bachchan. In the last season Salman Khan hosted the show.

However, media observers seem to be in favour of Kumar as the host of the show, rather than Chopra. They feel Kumar makes the perfect host for this "much rugged" property while Chopra's presence only created some curiosity amongst the younger female audience.

Carat India's associate vice-president, Rajni Menon notes, "Kumar stands synonymous to the Khatron Ke Khiladi brand image. His brand fit to the KKK property is robust."

According to some sources, the reason for incremental viewership was not Chopra, but rather the "engrossing" tasks that helped the viewers stick to the show in its third season.

"The Viacom18 production team is known to produce stunts and games which are very engrossing - the Roadies show, for example. So, in the third season of KKK it was not actually Chopra, but the tasks that helped generate audience stickiness," says a top media executive on conditions of anonymity.

Sudha Natrajan, president and CEO, Lintas Media Group, points out that though Chopra did manage to do well to some extent on the show, it was difficult for her to shed her glamorous image and/or marry it unvaryingly with the much-needed "ruggedness".

"KKK is reality TV at its best and there is no better brand fit than Kumar," Natrajan avers.

But, for now, there is yet another reason that influenced the channel to get Kumar on board as the host. In its fourth season, KKK will be presented as an "integrated product" to the viewers wherein the integration will take place between the show format, its title sponsor Thums Up, and Kumar, the Thums Up brand ambassador.

'Khatron Ke Khiladi - Torchaar' will be hosted in South Africa with 13 male participants and 13 female partners. The winner will not only be bestowed with the coveted title of being the 'Khiladi', but will also be chosen as the 'Thums Up Thunder Star'. The 'Thums Up Thunder Star' will get an exclusive opportunity to feature with the Thums Up brand ambassador Kumar in the brand's new communication campaign.

The collaboration for KKK 4 will also bring in a combination of Colors' reach and Thums Up's distribution strength to mark a deeper penetration for both brands. Besides a series of on-ground events across the Hindi-speaking markets (HSM), 15 lakh Thums Up and KKK 4 branded bottles will be circulated to promote the show.

Talking about the association with Colors, Wasim Basir, director - integrated marketing communication, Coca-Cola India, notes that Thums Up as a brand is all about dare devilry and a go-getting spirit.

"Our association with KKK 4 amplifies the core creative idea and the values that the brand stands for," says Basir.

"A key element of the association is also our aim to identify the Thums Up Thunder Star from amongst the participants in KKK 4. The Thums Up Thunder Star who will emancipate the values of the brand will get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share on-screen space with Kumar," he adds.

For KKK, the channel is planning to rope in six/seven associate sponsors.