In a rundown warehouse studio on Kabul's dusty outskirts,
Mirzad presents the "Treasure" - "Ganjina" in Afghanistan's
Dari language - gameshow, where prize money of up to one million afghanis
($21,000) is on offer, a fortune in one of the world's poorest countries.
"In Afghanistan after 30 years of war, we had no
gameshows, no big television programs like this. This is fun," said
Mirzad, a former journalist. "When they see how emotional people are and
how they react, it lets them forget everything." Producers say the show is
popular but risqué for Afghanistan.
Just like a similar Western gameshow, Ganjina contestants
choose one of 20 boxes representing an amount of cash from one to one million
afghanis. Contestants eliminate boxes one by one and take home the amount in
the last box.
The program came back on air on local TOLO TV two weeks
ago after it was banned briefly by the government because of complaints it
depicted gambling.
Afghanistan's government has tussled before over
television content. The cultural ministry two years ago ordered stations to
stop broadcasting Indian soap operas it deemed un-Islamic.
For all Ganjina's modest set - glass floor tiles are
cracked and smaller contestants have to stand on red bricks to lift them up
behind their podium - the program has a loyal following.
"You get to take something home with you. When it is
a matter of money everyone is interested," said Masood Sanjer, channel
manager at TOLO TV.