eNews
EndemolShine India’s Bigg Boss Kannada season-ten delivers record ratings
Mumbai: The tenth season of Bigg Boss Kannada, aired on Colors Kannada, streamed on Voot, and hosted by Superstar Sudeep Kiccha, has outperformed all expectations, marking a milestone decade for the franchise in Karnataka, with the finale episode breaking all records with an 11.5 ratings, the highest of all seasons. Produced by EndemolShine India, the innovative promotion and positioning of the season paid off, with reality weekly ratings soaring to 7 and 8, the highest for any season of Bigg Boss Kannada. The launch episode itself garnered a 7.1 rating, becoming the second-highest-rated episode in the history of the show. As the season progressed, Bigg Boss Kannada became the number 1 show in Karnataka, leading the 9:30 to 11:00 slot.
Banijay Asia and EndemolShine India founder & group CEO Deepak Dhar expressed his excitement about the season’s performance, stating, “Bigg Boss Kannada Season 10 has been a remarkable journey, not just for us but for the entire Kannada-speaking audience. Celebrating a decade of Bigg Boss in Karnataka, we aimed to make this season extraordinary with ‘Happy Bigg Boss,’ and the response has been overwhelming. We are proud to lead the entertainment slot in Karnataka, and this success reinforces our commitment to delivering high-quality, engaging content, year after year.”
This season was introduced as ‘Happy Bigg Boss’, transforming the show into a 100-day festival for Karnataka. The innovative launch strategy involved 100 dedicated Bigg Boss fans using live voting pads on stage, rating contestants, and thus, determining team divisions and immediate eliminations right from the start. This unique approach, along with engaging weekly tasks and creative content, kept the audiences truly engaged.
Bigg Boss, an adaptation of Big Brother, continues to be a global entertainment phenomenon, airing in over 45 territories annually. In India, the franchise extends across multiple languages and geographies, including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam, showcasing the wide appeal and versatility of the format.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
