Second to none

IN CONVERSATION

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Ratings show that the second season is better than the first. It's time to catch up with director Karan Johar, feels Abhilasha Ojha, as she sips Koffee with Karan

How different was the planning for the second season of Koffee with Karan?

I deliberately kept the same format and the show still includes rounds like rapid-fire questions and lie-o-meter. Some celebrities like Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukherjee and Kajol had appeared on the show before, but for the second season I reworked on the combination.

So we included people like Mallika Sherawat and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, two individuals who had nothing in common. Besides, we also changed the look of the sets.

You're naturally happy about the TRPs. But why do you think that this show is such a success?

The prime reason why the show is successful is because of the people themselves. My guests on the show are invariably open and candid and that is an important ingredient for a show like Koffee with Karan to succeed.

Besides, the feel of the set is such that guests feel they're sitting in a lounge simply chatting without feeling conscious about any cameras.

But why is it that the same celebrities appear so diplomatic on other similar talk shows?

I suppose they know me personally and don't feel conscious expressing their views.

Tell us about the guest list

Well, like the first season, this time around I will shoot for 25 episodes. The guest list will include brother-sister duo Saif and Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Kohli with Konkona Sen, Sanjay Dutt with his sister Priya Dutt, Richard Gere, Vijay Mallaya and Shobha De, Mira Nair with Tabu. There's another interesting episode of Jaya Bachchan and Hema Malini with their daughters.

That's neat! Now, tell us, what do you do with all those autographed coffee mugs?

(Laughs) The channel has a competition at the end of every episode and one winner is selected every week to keep the autographed mug. Actually I ask guests to sign another set of coffee mugs. That's my pension fund and I will sell them for a lot of money later.