11 June , 2008. In the first celebrity episode of 10 Ka Dum, it was not Salman Khan's [Images] friends from the film industry but cricket stars Yuvraj Singh  and Harbhajan Singh  who were invited to play the game.

'Yuvi' and 'Bhajji' brought the house down with their banter and quick wit.

This, of course, gives an inkling of what goes on in the Indian dressing room. The fun-filled episode is replete with anecdotes from the two cricketers.

The episode will be telecast on Sony Entertainment Television on June 14, at 2100 IST.

One more superstar hopped on to television last weekend with answers to profound questions like: Kitne pratishat Bhartiyon ne apni suhaag raat sirf sokar bitayee hai? (What percentage of Indians has 'just slept' on their wedding night?) 

What percentage of Indians sees Lalu Prasad as an ideal husband? 

Dus ka Dum and Salman Khan bring you answers to weird statistical probabilities on a show where you don't need any gyaan-vigyaan to walk away with Rs 10 crore. Only a fair amount of common sense, and loads of luck. 

What percentage of Indians has milked a cow? (30%) What percentage of Indians supports intercaste marriages? (54%) What percentage of Indians reads the newspaper in the toilet? (24%). Surprised? In a country where even election exit polls are way off the mark, you can't really expect close-to-the-truth answers for those questions, can you? 

So don't look for logic or pop-sociology lessons in Dus ka Dum. Watch it only for Salman Khan. 

Also see: Salman Khan meets his match | SRK on a bad wicket on Paanchvi Paas 

There's been so much of cloyingly-sweet anchors and almost-perfect role models on television that it's refreshing to have an unpredictable, politically-incorrect actor play host. Salman makes for explosive television because, as always, he elicits extreme reactions: You could cringe or laugh out loud at a comment he makes to a contestant who speaks of his ability to attract women."Mere father ne ek saand paida kiya hai, log apni apni gaai bachain." ("My father gave birth to a stud bull. It is up to the people to keep their cows safe.") 

You could see him as a brattish blackbuck-killer. Or like one of the contestants who appear on the show, you could consider him a philanthropist. You could be shocked or revolted when he tries a hand at jailhouse humour by joking about his vacation at a Jodhpur "spa". 

Whether you love or hate Salman, eccentric characters and bad behaviour make great television. Especially in the reality show formats that we are used to. What would a Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge be without Himesh Reshammiya's boorish tendency to promote his favourites, even when they don't always sing the best? Would Indian Idol be as entertaining without Anu Malik's rude remarks? And without Kashmira Shah's bitchy act, or Bani's outrageous moves, would a Bigg Boss or a Roadies 3 have been as spicy? 

The fun format of Dus Ka Dum seems tailor-made for the actor. Consider Salman's previous appearances on television -- He looked utterly bored on a serious game show like Kaun Banega Crorepati, despite having a Katrina Kaif by his side. On the contrary, he's always been the most popular guest on musical shows. And was both loved and hated when he made a contestant on Zee TV's Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge take off his shirt. 

Salman keeps you on your toes because you really don't know what he'll do next. He's almost like that embarrassingly flamboyant and loud relative you might be scared to invite to a family wedding. But from the safe distance that television offers, he's the most entertaining guy you can bring home. After all, which other 40-plus Indian male can ask a woman about her suhaag raat on television -- and get an honest answer for that? 

One only hopes that he is allowed a free run, that his spontaneity is not toned down, the way Shah Rukh Khan's massage sessions on Kaun Banega Crorepati vanished after the first few episodes. As Salman himself writes in his blog on the show: "Babu (Siddhartha Basu) is a perfectionist. How do I convince him that my charm lies in being imperfect? And this is what connects me with people. I am as imperfect as my fans are. And nothing would want to make me change that." 

Salman may not exactly be hum sab ka Prem, but he's certainly your best Partner on Friday and Saturday nights this season.
 
 

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