INDIA: Indian clerk repeats �������slumdog�������� story; clinches jackpot on TV game show

Record ID: 1374199

  • Title: INDIA: Indian clerk repeats �������slumdog�������� story; clinches jackpot on TV game show
  • Date: 3rd November 2011
  • Summary: MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA (NOVEMBER 2, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) SUSHIL KUMAR, JACKPOT WINNER OF INDIAN TV QUIZ SHOW 'KAUN BANEGA CROREPATI' (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) QUIZ SHOW WINNER SUSHIL KUMAR, SAYING: "I cannot explain the beauty of that moment in words. Everything was so surreal and unbelievable that I poured out an entire glass of water on my head when I was declared the winner. The feeling of joy and exhilaration I felt when Mr. Amitabh Bachchan declared me as the winner of the jackpot is beyond words. You can imagine how important Rs five crore ($ 1.01 million) are for someone like me, who runs a family with a meager salary of Rs 6000 (around $ 120) a month." WIDER SHOT OF KUMAR (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) QUIZ SHOW WINNER SUSHIL KUMAR, SAYING: "No, when I first came to the show, I never thought I would win the jackpot of Rs five crores ($ 1.01 million). However, I somehow always felt I could win at least Rs 25 lakh (Rs. 2.5 million) to Rs 50 lakh (Rs. 5 million). When I used to watch the show on television at my home, I was always able to solve the questions till the Rs 25 lakh (Rs. 2.5 million) mark, so I believed if I could somehow reach the hotseat of the show, I would definitely win at least Rs 25 lakh (Rs. 2.5 million)." CLOSE OF KUMAR'S FACE (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) QUIZ SHOW WINNER SUSHIL KUMAR, SAYING: "The experts who are called in for the show are truly marvelous. They are aware of everything under the sun. That is why, my genuine advice to all future contestants of the show is to keep this option open till the very end. This lifeline must only be used at a time when you genuinely run out of options."
  • Embargoed: 18th November 2011 10:55
  • Keywords:
  • Location: India, India
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,People
  • Reuters ID: LVA4EZMDLD1M1YQRFDSSN4SQPPIG
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: In a riveting 'rags to riches' story, an Indian clerk, Sushil Kumar, recreated the proverbial 'slumdog' story by winning the million-dollar jackpot at the popular television game show, 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' (KBC).
    This is the first time a contestant has won a million dollars on KBC--Indian version of the hugely popular 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"- hosted by Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan.
    The much-awaited episode featuring Kumar in the 'hot seat' of the show was aired on the Indian entertainment channel, Sony Television, on Wednesday (November 2).
    In the final moments before he won the coveted jackpot, Kumar held a glass of water with clenched fists--seemingly aware that his hopes, dreams and aspirations rested on the answer on the computer screen. In the backdrop, his family was seen chanting silent prayers for his victory.
    A wave of electric excitement reverberated through the audience as an excited Bachchan sprang from his seat and hugged a dazed Kumar--who had by then poured the water on his head in a moving display of emotion--before declaring him the winner of Rs. five crores ($ 1.01 million)-the grand prize.
    Recalling his emotionally charged 'dream-come-true' moment, Kumar said he could not explain his feelings in words.
    "I cannot explain the beauty of that moment in words. Everything was so surreal and unbelievable that I poured out an entire glass of water on my head when I was declared the winner. The feeling of joy and exhilaration I felt when Mr. Amitabh Bachchan (Bollywood legend) declared me as the winner of the jackpot is beyond words. You can imagine how important Rs five crore ($ 1.01 million) are for someone like me, who runs a family with a meager salary of Rs 6000 (around $ 120) a month."
    Hailing from the Motihari town of India's eastern state of Bihar, one of the country's worst performers in socio-economic indices, Kumar works as a computer operator in a government office at a monthly salary of Rs. 6,000 (around $120).
    He also claims to have watched the episodes of the show at a neighbour's house because his family was too poor to afford a television set.
    However, with a gleam of confidence in his shy eyes, Kumar maintained he was always 'sure' of winning at least Rs 25 lakh (Rs. 2.5 million) if he managed to secure an entry into the game.
    "No, when I first came to the show, I never thought I would win the jackpot of Rs five crores ($ 1.01 million). However, I somehow always felt I could win at least Rs 25 lakh (Rs. 2.5 million) to Rs 50 lakh (Rs. 5 million). When I used to watch the show on television at my home, I was always able to solve the questions till the Rs 25 lakh (Rs. 2.5 million) mark, so I believed if I could somehow reach the hotseat of the show, I would definitely win at least Rs 25 lakh (Rs. 2.5 million)."
    Kumar's win drew comparisons with the plot of 2008 Oscar-winning film 'Slumdog Millionaire' and, like its fictional protagonist Jamal, the 27-year-old also saw the TV show as an escape from penury.
    'Slumdog Millionaire,' shot in the teeming slums of Mumbai, tells the story of a young orphan who wins the TV game show against all odds - a tale similar to that of Kumar's.
    Meanwhile, having created history at the show, Kumar also had a word of advice for future contestants dreaming of winning the grand prize at KBC.
    "The experts who are called in for the show are truly marvelous. They are aware of everything under the sun. That is why, my genuine advice to all future contestants of the show is to keep this option open till the very end. This lifeline must only be used at a time when you genuinely run out of options."
    Kumar's stellar and unprecedented win at the KBC drew applause across the country, with people from all walks of life celebrating his victory as their own.
    Despite winning the jackpot - a fortune in a country with a per capita income of $1,265 - Kumar asserted he had not made any grand plans with the prize, besides 'repairing his house, fulfilling a few basic needs and moving to New Delhi to study for the Indian civil service exams.'
    Kumar takes home Rs. 3.50 crore (about $720,000) after tax deductions ($1=Rs. 49.11).
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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