Star cricketers will be part of Khatron Ke Khiladi Season Three despite the IPL controversy. Some cricketers are on board and some are yet to be finalized, says a media report.
A media report says, Priyanka Chopra's TV debut, Fear Factor Khatron Ke Khiladi Season Three with cricketers on Colors, was in a soup.
Lalit Modi's probe case and MS Dhoni stating late night parties as the cause for the players' poor performance were only the icing on the many controversies surrounding IPL.
This reportedly made it difficult for the channel to rope in the 13 required cricketers for the show, for which PC is being paid between Rs 1-3 crore for 16 episodes. Apparently, the show had gone off schedule.
But the channel insiders, on condition of anonymity, reveal that the show, that was expected to be shot at Copacabana in Brazil, will roll between July and August, as per the dates allotted by Chopra, who replaced Akshay Kumar as the host of the show.
“Some cricketers are on board and some are yet to be finalised. But that is hardly any trouble for us. We're pretty much on target. Chak Dhoom Dhoom will make way for India's Got Talent 2 and later, we'll have Khatron Ke Khiladi and Bigg Boss 4 ming up,“ adds the source om the channel.
Sources indicate that Yuvraj Singh, Brett Lee, Shane Warne, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, S Sreesanth and Gautam Gambhir have agreed to participate.
“The idea is to have a mix of Indian and foreign cricketers which will spice up the content. And it will be a perfect blend on screen.
The kind of bond they share will make the entire journey entertaining,“ says a source from Endemol, the production house that has been anchoring the show.
Talks about Priyanka Chopra competing with Akshay Kumar on her fee have been doing rounds since the announcement of the new host.
While one section of the media is abuzz with rumours that the actress is one of the most expensive hosts on Indian television so far, another believes that Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan continue to rule the roost.
Ashwini Yardi, programming head of Colors, firmly refused to comment on the issue, stating that giving out any information would be acting against the channel's policy.
“Priyanka Chopra symbolises brains, brawn and beauty. She enjoys adventure too. This year too, we have re-invented the format of Fear Factor Khatron Ke Khiladi. Akshay Kumar was fabulous and brought great content to the table. But unlike the last two seasons, which comprised 13 female celebrities, this year we have 13 cricketers supported by an adventurous lady host,“ she adds.
Among Bollywood stars, Sanjay Dutt was rumoured to do a reality show with Imagine, but there is no confirmation yet. Big B was expected to be the pop-philosopher-host on Bigg Boss Season Four. Preity Zinta was expected to produce and host a chat show of her own, based on cricket. Aamir Khan could be the replacement for Shah Rukh Khan on Kaun Banega Crorepati's next season. Rani Mukherji might return as DPL Ki Rani on Season Two of Dance Premier League. Suneil Shetty might return as the host of Biggest Loser Jeetega Season Two towards the end of this year.
