‘Saanp Seedi’
Also known as Snakes and Ladders, Maha Saanp Seedi.
Years: 1992 to at least 1994.
Host: Mohan Kapur.
Hostess: Bindiya.
Guests: Moon Moon Sen, Parvati Khan, Rahul Roy, Arjun, Namrata Shirodkar etc.
Director: Adi Pocha.
Produced by UTV Movies (also known as United Television).
A game show provenanced on the popular board game Snakes and Ladders was a fantastic idea which was backed up by a superb presentation. It was a vibrant show, well-presented by Mohan Kapur. He deliberately played a smug and somewhat unlikeable host; he pulled it off well without coming across an obnoxious snob.
There was a new guest every episode and four participants dressed red, yellow, green and blue uniforms. The show’s format was changed a few times but the basic format was like this: in the first round of the show, the host would ask each participant a frivolous question about the guest with two answers, pre-rated by the guest: the right answer would get them on the board, while with the wrong answer they would have to pull a chain, emptying a pendant bucket of water on their heads. In the main round, each question would have four options rated from 1 to 4 by the guest beforehand. The participant would jump on the vertical Snakes and Ladders board upon receiving the score from the guest. They would also have to ride the water slide in certain situations. The participant standing on the highest number at the end would be the winner.
The show had a few different rounds, changed from time to time but the original format was arguably the best. In one round the guest would “autograph” the participants on their face with paint, subject to their answers. The tired new rounds like anda dhulai, jai anda dhulai but they were shortly changed.
In one particularly low-scoring episode the winner stood on the first number on the board, while the remaining three participants could not even stay on the board and hence remained locked in the cage outside. One of the participants was called Jeeganesh, who was greeted by his friends in the audience with “Ganpati Bappa Moreya” chants. Another participant was called Prachi but neither of them won the show. At the end of one episode from the earlier days of the show, a guest lured Mohan Kapur to jump off the water side. When the guest’s turn came to do the same, he backed out while mocking Mohan Kapur.
The show had many celebrity guests ranging from television to films (or even other fields). If I find out the names of more guests I will update the list. So far there is only one episode of the show available, which is uploaded by one of the participants on YouTube.
The show’s theme music was a beautiful jazz tune that matched the show’s flair and verve. Decades have gone by but Saanp Seedi remains the most vibrant game show of India.
Also known as Snakes and Ladders, Maha Saanp Seedi.
Years: 1992 to at least 1994.
Host: Mohan Kapur.
Hostess: Bindiya.
Guests: Moon Moon Sen, Parvati Khan, Rahul Roy, Arjun, Namrata Shirodkar etc.
Director: Adi Pocha.
Produced by UTV Movies (also known as United Television).
 |
| Mohan Kapur from Saanp Seedi promo. © UTV Movies Courtesy: Zeshaan Ejaz |
There was a new guest every episode and four participants dressed red, yellow, green and blue uniforms. The show’s format was changed a few times but the basic format was like this: in the first round of the show, the host would ask each participant a frivolous question about the guest with two answers, pre-rated by the guest: the right answer would get them on the board, while with the wrong answer they would have to pull a chain, emptying a pendant bucket of water on their heads. In the main round, each question would have four options rated from 1 to 4 by the guest beforehand. The participant would jump on the vertical Snakes and Ladders board upon receiving the score from the guest. They would also have to ride the water slide in certain situations. The participant standing on the highest number at the end would be the winner.
 |
| A celebrity guest smudging cake on Mohan Kapur. © UTV Movies Courtesy: Zeshaan Ejaz |
In one particularly low-scoring episode the winner stood on the first number on the board, while the remaining three participants could not even stay on the board and hence remained locked in the cage outside. One of the participants was called Jeeganesh, who was greeted by his friends in the audience with “Ganpati Bappa Moreya” chants. Another participant was called Prachi but neither of them won the show. At the end of one episode from the earlier days of the show, a guest lured Mohan Kapur to jump off the water side. When the guest’s turn came to do the same, he backed out while mocking Mohan Kapur.
The show had many celebrity guests ranging from television to films (or even other fields). If I find out the names of more guests I will update the list. So far there is only one episode of the show available, which is uploaded by one of the participants on YouTube.
The show’s theme music was a beautiful jazz tune that matched the show’s flair and verve. Decades have gone by but Saanp Seedi remains the most vibrant game show of India.
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