OK, sorry folks for the long silence on my part, but I was away in Chennai for some time and just got back in time for the monsoon mania in amchi Mumbai.

The weekend I landed was the first since the IPL mania, and it was also the first time that the reigning superstars of Bollywood were going head to head, on TV albeit.

Regulars here know I am an SRK fan. What they may not know is that I am quite ok with Salman Khan as well, as also the last Khan in the reigning trinity. I am quite hooked on to Paanchvi Paas, and remain in eternal hope that I get called on the show, not to earn money but just to share the stage with the Man.

Now Salman Khan is a phenomenon, nothing short of it. He has been written off so many times, the last time famously after his run-ins on a Bandra pavement in the wee hours, violent breakup with Ash Rai, and for keeping his finger on the redial button to Vivek Oberoi.

He is no great shakes as an actor, is ok in the dancing department, is an epitome of self-love, but despite all that he rocks the box office. I have wondered, analysed this and have no plausible answer as to why, so I’ve decided to let myself be entertained by him.

On TV last weekend, thankfully, there was no tough choice to be made since Sony TV wisely slotted Salman’s new show when SRK’s ends. So I sat down to watch the man who could have been the badshah if only he had not turned down Baazigar, and these are my brief observations on his new show.

If the show becomes a hit, then I am willing to bet that the money will be the draw, not Salman. This is not to take away from his appeal, X factor, stardom, whatever, but the thought of Rs 10 crore, and the thought of not having to parade one’s ignorance in order to earn it, will leave people salivating. Personally, I will have no qualms about appearing on the show, if only I knew how!

So how does this Khan rank as a host? I know comparisons at odious, but in this case I am forced to indulge in it in order to prove my point. I find that Salman doesn’t exude the warmth necessary towards the participants. Like, this girl landed up exclaiming ‘Salman, I love you!’ And the star treated it just one of those professional hazards he is subject to day in and day out.

Perhaps he is, but I felt he could have handled it with more warmth than he displayed towards the girl. A la SRK, when faced with a similar situation with a young girl losing it in his presence.

But otherwise, I like Salman’s effort at humanising himself. He is not high visibility like SRK and others, and most know him only through the media reports that come out, and we all know they are not always flattering. So this show goes a long way in presenting him as a person.

But what’s in it for you if you are not a Salman fan dying to see him? In that case, there’s always the money, honey! Rs 10 crore of it!