New Delhi: KBC winner Sushil Kumar Tuesday denied reports that he had complained about not getting his Rs.5 crore prize money, saying Sony officials were constantly in touch with him and he had complete faith that he would get it.
"I have never said that I haven't got a single penny of the prize money. The channel had already told me that the money would be given to me in 60 days and that time period is yet to be completed," Kumar told IANS on phone from Motihari in Bihar.
A tabloid reported this week that Sushil Kumar, who made headlines in November when he became the first contestant to win Rs.5 crore ($1 million) on "Kaun Banega Crorepati 5", hosted by megastar Amitabh Bachchan, has said he has not received a single penny from the prize money and that he hasn't received any call from the channel.
Ever since the news came, people flooded the micro-blogging site Twitter with queries.
However, the 27-year-old refuted the report and said: "The channel officials are constantly in touch with me and keeping me updated. The process is on. I have never said that the channel has not give me any intimation or hasn't called me. I have complete faith in the channel that I will get my money," he added.
Before his big win on KBC, Kumar, who hails from East Champaran, worked as a computer operator and tutor, earning a meagre Rs.6,000 per month. However, his life changed after he won the top prize on the show.
Kumar says he is appalled by the news and also worried about "what Amitabh Bachchan would think about me".
"I don't know where this news has come from. Pata nahi Amitabh ji kya soch rahe honge ki yeh ladka kya bolta ja raha hai media mein. (I wonder what Amitabhji would be thinking that after winning I am making such complaints).
"It feels bad to see such wrong things written about me. I don't use Facebook or Twitter, so I didn't know how to clarify my stance," said Kumar.
He agreed that he has asked the channel to give him the cheque on the CNN-IBN Award ceremony to be held in Delhi Dec 16.
Kumar become an overnight celebrity after winning the top prize and says he now realises the repercussions of fame.
"I am a celebrity for a few days...if so many controversial news items can surface about me, I wonder how big celebrities manage to cope with it everyday," he said.
After winning the jackpot, he had told IANS he would prepare for the civil services - something he had stopped dreaming about due to his financial situation earlier.
Kumar is married and lives in a big joint family with five brothers, five nieces and a nephew.
Comments
0 comment