Ningalkkum Aakaam Kodeeshwaran (transl. You Too Can Be a Millionaire) is an Indian Malayalam-language game show. It is an adaptation of the British Sony Pictures Television game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and its Hindi version Kaun Banega Crorepati.[1] The show is hosted by actor Suresh Gopi.
In 2011, Business Standard announced that Kaun Banega Crorepati was going to be remade into five regional Indian languages.[4] Suresh Gopi was selected to host the Malayalam version and was quoted saying:[5]
Expecting and hoping that Ningalkkum Aakam Kodeeshwaran would be really very big in Kerala... It was a really enriching and rewarding experience to get trained under Siddhartha Basu, with support from the Big Synergy and Asianet team to get into this new role, as a Host for the No. 1 game show in the World.
The episodes for Ningalkkum Aakam Kodeeshwaran were shot at AVM Studios in Chennai, where its Tamil equivalent Neengalum Vellalam Oru Kodi was also shot.[6]
Shyla CK, a contestant from Idukki, was the first person to win ₹50,00,000/- in the show, the highest amount won in the season. Shyla correctly answered the 14th question worth ₹50 lakhs/-, but she quit on the final question.[7]
The tagline of the season used for was Oru Chodyam Madi Jeevidam Mari Marayan (English: One Question Is Enough For Life To Change)[8]
Second season started on 4 March 2013.[9] Sangeetha, a handicapped woman from Painavu had scored ₹25,00,000/- in the 3rd day of the 2nd season. For the first time in the history of the show, the season started 'All Asianet Serial Celebrities Week' which started from 15 April 2013. Sanooja Rajan was declared as the first Crorepati of the show. This sparkling moment was aired on Asianet on 30 April 2013.
The tagline used for the season was Orarivum Cheruthalla, Deyvathinte Varamaanu (English: No Knowledge is Small, It Is The Blessing Of God)[8]
For the first time in the history of NAK, the "Kids special episode" started on Asianet from 27 May onwards. It was also continued from 8 July 2013 due to the request of Audience.
Third season kicked off from 29 December 2014 with the sparkling inaugural song of K S Chitra. This season started with a few differences from the last seasons. The timer from 1-5 questions was made 45 seconds and from 6-10 is 60 seconds. Also this season had the introduction of a new lifeline called 'Double Dip' replacing 'Fifty-Fifty (50/50)' from the previous seasons. This season also featured a fourth additional lifeline (not included as the main lifeline) called 'Code Red' which gave the opportunity for the contestant's family members to warn the contestant if they feel the answer is wrong.
Asianet announced the fourth season of NAK in late 2016. The first question for entry was published on the channel 7 November 2016 at 6:30 pm. Suresh Gopi hosted the fourth season. The show was launched on 16 January 2017 with Sujatha Mohan and Swetha Mohan rendering the inaugural song (Allah thero Naah).
This is a special round that contained school students as the contestants. The episodes were telecasted from 1 May 2017 to 10 May 2017, from 5 June 2017 to 9 June 2017 and again from 19 June 2017 to 23 June 2017.
The standard Millionaire format is used, with the Fastest Finger contest before the main game.
The money won after each question is roughly doubled from the previous amount won, exponentially increasing the amount won after each correct answer until the contestant reaches the final question, after which they win the maximum prize (1 crore).
A contestant can use a lifeline when he/she is undecided about which answer is correct. A lifeline can only be used once.
Sanooja Rajan from Nedumangad, Thiruvananthapuram made history by winning the top prize (₹1,00,00,000/-) in Season 2. This made Ningalkkum Aakaam Kodeeswaran as the second version after KBC to have a top score winner in India.[citation needed] Shyla C. K was the top scorer of Ningalkum Aakaam Kodeeshwaran in Season 1, winning ₹50 lakh. This season also witnessed the game played by pairs other than Individuals while previously pairs game were allowed only for celebrities.
