Antakshari's origin can be traced back to Vedic times, and those days, children played the game as a break from studies at the gurukul by reciting shlokas. ``It is a family game, which has been played for centuries in every corner of the country, maybe under different names,'' says Kapoor.

He insists he is keeping the tradition alive, not only of the game but also of the national language. Talking about the show, he says, ``I never thought the programme would be so popular. It was relayed in 38 countries previously, now it can be seen in 72 countries.'' He adds, with humour, that he does not go by popularity ratings, ``Dawood Ibrahim is more popular than I am!

``I derive great satisfaction from using this platform for doing something for society. It has made my life meaningful,'' he says, referring to the episodes for the handicapped, which have been much appreciated. ``Bada santosh hota hai, raat ko neend acchi aati hai''.

Auditions are on at the Pride Hotel to select 24 participants who will perform on February 27. There will be two semi-final rounds and four singers will reach the finals. At the show, his co-host will be Sunidhi Chavan, winner of the Lata Mangeshkar Trophy in Meri Awaaz Suno, since Pallavi Joshi is unable to assist, as she is expecting.

Kapoor rues the fact that people seem to have lost touch with Hindi and the national character. ``I can't understand this. At the Filmfare Awards function, meant for Hindi movies, everybody was talking and behaving as if they were foreigners. They seemed to be ashamed of the matrubhasha. The national anthem was sung by a girl wearing a skimpy outfit, holding the tricolour. What kind of show is this?'' he criticises and adds, ``Deshbhakti is just another masala''.

Kapoor graduated from the National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi, in 1980, with Neena Gupta and Alok Nath as batch-mates. ``I wanted to become a surgeon, but due to adverse circumstances, abandoned those plans. My father asked me to assist in his Loknatya Mandali, which I joined at 14. I decided that if I have to act, I would like to do it well. So I joined the NSD. I have learnt a lot there. I have warm memories of the institution; it laid the foundation of my career,'' he says.

He fondly remembers that Ebrahim Alkazi, the then director, once hit him on the back, ``and it was said that if Alkazi hits you, you'd become a good actor.'' Annu Kapoor Films produced an award-winning film, Abhay, in 1994, and Kapoor has plans to go in for direction, but he insists humorously, ``I will not take the audience to Khandala. I will make a film I want to direct''.