Factual
KBC’s season 17 draws in marquee sponsors, Sony LIV ramps up play-along push
MUMBAI: Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) is back for its 17th season, and the big brands are queueing up once again. Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV have rolled out the latest edition of India’s most iconic quiz show, hosted as ever by Amitabh Bachchan, with a line-up of sponsors as weighty as the prize money.
Maruti has signed on as lead automobile partner, sweetening the stakes by giving away new cars to every Crorepati on the hot seat and to the overall Play Along winner. Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) has returned to underline its mass-market connect, while UltraTech Cement and Pidilite’s Dr Fixit have doubled down on their aspirational pitches to smaller cities and family households.
All told, 15 brands from categories spanning automobiles, cement, home-building products, condiments, clothing, payment gateways and mouth fresheners have joined forces with the show this season. Their faith underscores KBC’s ability to deliver reach, recall and resonance across India.
Sony LIV is once again pushing its “second-screen” play, with the return of KBC Play Along and the hugely popular Har Din Lakhpati feature. The format, which lets viewers answer questions live via the app, has turned KBC from a television property into a nationwide interactive event since debuting in 2018.
Sony LIV, head of ad sales revenue Ranjana Mangla said KBC “has stood as a bedrock of consistency for advertisers—delivering unmatched reach, deep engagement, and a cultural resonance that few formats can claim.”
HPCL’s CH srinivas hailed the programme’s “spirit of knowledge and the power of questions,” while UltraTech’s Ajay Dang called the Sony Liv tie-up “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to cement aspirational journeys in tier 2 and 3 towns. Swati Jha of Pidilite added that both KBC and Dr Fixit “have been trusted companions in people’s lives” for more than two decades.
With Sony LIV reporting over 100m app downloads and pushing an expanding roster of sports rights, films and originals, KBC remains its most bankable franchise—blending nostalgia, mass appeal and advertiser trust in equal measure.
DUBLIN: Ireland is betting big on reality television. In a move that has Hollywood scouts scrambling for their passports, Dublin has unveiled Europe’s first tax credit dedicated solely to unscripted programming—think The Traitors rather than Game of Thrones.
The scheme offers producers a juicy 20 per cent rebate on qualifying expenditure, capped at €15 million ($17.5 million) per project. It’s a cultural credit with strings attached: programmes must pass a test proving they genuinely promote Irish and European culture. No word yet on whether Love Island derivatives need apply.
Ireland tánaiste and minister for finance Simon Harris says the incentive will cement Ireland’s reputation as a “centre of excellence” for audiovisual production. His colleague, minister for culture, communications and sport Patrick O’Donovan, insists Ireland has “the talent, creativity and production expertise to lead” in unscripted television. Bold claims for a nation that has spent decades exporting scripted drama.
The timing is canny. Unscripted production costs have soared globally, making Ireland’s existing infrastructure—and now its tax breaks—increasingly attractive. Fox Entertainment Studios already churns out shows like Beat Shazam and The Floor from Irish studios. Whether these American productions will pass the cultural test remains to be seen.
Producers must secure an interim cultural certificate before filming begins, allowing them to claim credits during production rather than waiting until wrap. A final certificate follows completion. The European Commission has blessed the scheme through December 2028.
Minimum thresholds apply: productions must cost at least €250,000, with eligible expenditure above €125,000. Only one season per project can claim relief in any 12-month period, though producers can juggle multiple projects.
Britain, take note. The UK industry has clamoured for similar support for 18 months, but Westminster has dithered. India’s ministry of information and broadcasting pay heed. Its incentive scheme for co-productions excludes unscripted television. To what end, no one knows! Ireland, meanwhile, is already rolling out the red carpet—or should that be green?
The message from Dublin is clear: when it comes to backing reality TV, Ireland isn’t messing about. Lights, camera, tax action.
