Factual
National Geographic’s new show to tell success stories of India’s icons
MUMBAI: National Geographic will be coming up with a unique show called Mega Icons which will see the success stories of inspiring personalities of India from different platforms. To start off the show, Virat Kohli and Kamal Hasaan have been selected from two of the biggest obsessions of the country – cricket and movies.
The series will be premiered this September. Each episode of this new series would be a journey into the life of an iconic personality, with help of not only intimate interviews of the icons and their families but also through scientific research and analysis by experts.
National Geographic and Fox Networks Group head productions Shruti Takulia said, “For Mega Icons, I could talk about the cinematic brilliance of the dramatic recreations we have shot. Or the intimate stories that come out through the interviews with India’s biggest icons and their closest ones. However, what is really important about the show, is the unique lens we have used to analyse the lives of these icons using science to decipher if such inspirational personalities are born or made great.”
“This unique format is what we believe will appeal to the National Geographic’s loyal viewer. A discerning viewer, who is fueled by curiosity, and wants to deepen his understanding about the science and reason behind everything,” she added.
The upcoming series is all about brand’s latest endeavour to marry exclusive access with spectacular storytelling. Mega Icons will showcase the milestone events and incidents in the life of these people. Events and incidents which might have had an incredible impact to set their lives onto a path of greatness. These incidents will be brought to life through powerful storytelling using cinematic recreations, along with intimate interviews with the icons and the ones closest to them.
The unique format would be hosted by an acclaimed personality who along with the panel of experts will scratch beneath the surface to magnify the unseen in an icon’s life in a never-seen-before format. The brand will announce the second set of Icons along with the show host and panel of experts later this month.
MUMBAI: India’s most famous hot seat is about to welcome an unlikely first-timer. For the first time on Hindi general entertainment television, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla will appear on Kaun Banega Crorepati, the iconic quiz show hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.
The special episode marks a rare meeting point of boardroom heft and prime-time television, bringing one of India’s most influential business leaders face to face with the country’s most enduring screen legend. It is a crossover that blends intellect, leadership and popular culture, all under KBC’s familiar spotlight.
Birla’s appearance dovetails neatly with the show’s current theme, Jahaan Akal Hai, Wahan Akad Hai, which celebrates the confidence that comes from clarity of thought and knowledge. His presence lends weight to the idea that sharp thinking and conviction are as vital in life as they are in the quiz chair.
In a thoughtful conversation with Bachchan, Birla shared an upbeat view of India’s economic journey, pointing to the nation’s rapid growth and the scale of opportunity opening up across industries and communities. He spoke of momentum, ambition and a future shaped by enterprise and ideas.
The episode is not all serious talk. In lighter moments, Birla confessed his long-standing admiration for Bachchan, calling him his favourite actor and admitting to a touch of nervousness at answering questions in front of the Shahenshah himself. The candour adds a human touch to a man more often seen in headlines than on television sets.
The special episode airs on Monday, 29 December at 9.00 pm on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV.
