Sponsors of STAR Plus' new Shah Rukh Khan hosted gameshow 'Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain' have demanded a change in the format.

According to The Economic Times, leading sponsors of the show have expressed their unhappiness to the broadcaster about how the show has turned out.

Sponsors say the format has been diluted compared to the original 'Are you a fifth grader' on which 'Paanchvi Pass' has been designed. They have also alleged that STAR is overplaying Shah Rukh Khan’s star quotient in the show.

The low opening TRPs have not helped either. 'Paanchvi Pass' has delivered ratings significantly lower than the ongoing Indian Premier League which is being aired on MAX.

The head of a leading sponsor told The Economic Times, "The content leaves a lot to be desired. The way the questions are structured is not very engaging and it's quite different from the original 'Are you a fifth grader' show." A member of the production team added that internationally the show has a lot of focus on education which is not seen in its Indian avataar and even the look and feel of the show as it was shown to the advertisers.

Having already shot 30% of 'Paanchvi Pass' episodes, STAR is now making desperate attempts to keep its sponsors and advertisers happy. The broadcaster has offered its sponsors free advertising on the show's re-runs on weekdays and a back-to-back three hour show on Sunday afternoons.

In the UK, 'Paanchvi Pass' episodes begin in June.

Related link:
IPL outperforms Shah Rukh show on STAR Plus