The Karan And Sweta Nanda Gimmick

Last month NDTV started a new series "NextGen" ,hosted by Sweta Bachchan Nanda, the daughter of apna Bollywood's first family. The only bachchan not to have faced the arc lights as yet, I guess simply could not resist it anymore . So the first show had her interviewing Karan Johar which must have a ploy by NDTV to make Sweta comfortable since the Johars and Karan in particular are known to the Bachchans since the 1970s. Sweta I feel needs to fine tune her interviewing skills, but she did ok for a first timer .

Coming to the point here, this week Sweta Nanda will be on the Koffee with Karan ( produced by KBalaji KTelefilms??), the filmy talk show hosted by none other than Karan Johar. So what's happening here ? Exchange offer?. The "I will feature in your show and you feature in my show" seems rather self promotive with each of hosts/guests trying to get the publicity and eyeballs .Or is it a larger pact between NDTV and Star TV, the one time partners who are now competitors ? While there is nothing wrong in doing something like this, atleast some of the viewers will surely feel they are being taken for a ride. I mean how can the questions asked in the talk show/interview be realistic when you the guest/interviewer have known each other since they were kids. Obviously some of the uncomfortable questions will never be asked ( Like Karan being a Feminine sex symbol. Any comments ?) ?

So when it comes talk shows, I have always loved the one hosted by another Karan on CNBC. Karan Thapar's no non-sense approach even with people of the Stature of Vijaya Mallaya makes an interesting watch.