Similarly, 'Dus Ka Dum', which saw Bollywood star Salman Khan play host, was a copy of 'Power of 10' and 'Sarkaar Ki Duniya' was modelled on 'Survivor'.

Sharma feels the demand for varied content has forced producers to adopt more and more global formats.

'The audience wants to see something different. In the last two years, we have doled out too many song, dance and celebrity-based shows. So it's time to change the paradigm. I think the overall mood in the business is to do something fresh and exciting that engages and excites the audience,' he said.

But adapting international gameshows started right in the 1990s. In 1992, Roshan Abbas hosted the programme 'Wheel of Fortune', modelled on an eponymous American game show.

However, the trend of adopting global formats intensified after the success of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' (KBC). The 2000 show, which was hosted by Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, was based on American show 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire'. Its third instalment had superstar Shah Rukh Khan sitting in the host's seat.

Though some original shows like 'Saanp Seedi', 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa', 'Antakshari', 'Tol Mol Ke Bol' and 'Boogie Woogie' did surface on the small screen before 2000, but post- 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' producers started lapping up foreign entertainment programmes.

Some of the other shows that made their way to Indian television post-KBC are 'Indian Idol' ('American Idol'), 'Jhalak Dikkhla Jaa' ('Dancing With The Stars'), 'Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hain' ('Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader') and 'Bigg Boss' ('Big Brother').

Although producers are lapping up foreign formats, Basu points out that they usually don't buy the rights to adapt them.

'There are not many Indian broadcasters who actually license international formats. Rip-offs with a few tweaks are more the norm and so it is difficult for licensors to sue (the channels),' said Basu.