Ganguly’s ‘Dadagiri’ on small screen

KOLKATA - Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly is all set for another inning - this time on the small screen - as he gets set to anchor a quiz-cum-reality show in Bengali.

Ganguly is anchoring a Bengali quiz cum reality show ‘Dadagiri’ on Zee Bangla, and considers it a new challenge.

“Playing cricket is one type of challenge. Commentary is another. This programme is another type of challenge. It is exciting. I am learning every day,” he said.

In the show, Ganguly comes face-to-face with participants drawn from all the 19 districts of West Bengal, who have to answer questions posed by the cricketer.

Ganguly said the 64-episode programme will be somewhere between a reality show and a quiz show.

“The participants will be tested for their presence of mind, ability to comprehend questions properly,” said the left hand batsman, who has inked a three-year contract with the show organisers.

To cash in on Ganguly’s appeal as a cricketer, different portions of the show have been given cricketing nomenclature like selection, toss, powerplay and cover drive.

“It has been a fantastic experience so far. Interacting with so many people coming from diverse backgrounds, each different from the other mentally and emotionally is a big challenge,” he said.

Talking abut his experience of the shooting so far, Ganguly recalled a cancer patient who came to take part in the show. “We handled him with a great deal of sensitivity. Unfortunately, he bowed out early.”

Asked how he prepared for the show, Ganguly replied: “Oh! I had to prepare really hard!”