MAM
How KBC campaigns ensure focus stays on the common man
MUMBAI: Ever since 2000 when Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) first launched, the show has captivated millions not just through its quiz format but also innovative campaigns. The ads are socially relevant yet never boring.
This year, KBC has come up with another endearing campaign titled #KabTakRokoge. “This year we thought that we can stand, support and attribute our viewers and so we came up with #KabTakRokoge campaign. The campaign beautifully highlights three relatable stories with a soul. We often face situations in life that tend to deter us from achieving our goals. Often, we encounter people who discourage our attempts and obstruct our progress. When the odds are against us, one can only stand up to them and ask… #KabTakRokoge?” says Nitesh Tiwari who has created and conceptualised all the brand films for the show since Sony began telecasting the hugely popular show.
The first brand film of this season was launched on Facebook on 23 July and has garnered 746K views till date. Viewers can play the KBC game online, win passes to visit the KBC studio and engage with interactive social applications.
“KBC is a very famous game show. Every year people have loved the game show and have connected with the campaign and came to play the game. This year as well, I want my audience to watch the campaign, get connected to it and come and play the game and make it as famous as they have made KBC in the earlier seasons,” says Dangal director.
All campaigns bear in mind the show’s legacy. The ads appeal to people because they are based on biases encountered in real life, with the victim coming out on top in the end. The show has never relied on a celebrity for any of its campaigns because it is a common man’s game.
Tiwari has been associated with KBC for eight years. The former chief creative officer of Leo Burnett India has directed many ad films, a few being Flipkart, DHFL Home Loans and Star HD. He has written and directed many feature films like Dangal and Chillar Party, but, working for KBC has been more fun as it gave him a chance to work with his childhood idol.
“I am blessed to work with such a big person. I have been admiring him since childhood. It was through KBC that I met Amitabh Bachchan. So, KBC will always remain special to me,” he says.
When Bachchan saw a decline in movies in the 1990s, it was KBC that gave him a boost by bringing him close to millions of Indians by becoming the host. When KBC was launched in 2000 on Star Plus, the show not only changed the fate of reality television, but also helped the broadcaster move up the ratings chart. A decade later, the show ratings started to dwindle and it moved hands to Sony.
The launch campaign on Star was ‘Nau Baj Gaye Kya?’ and when the switch happened, Sony showed that ‘Koi Bhi Sawaal Chota Nahi Hota’ highlighting the thought that knowledge never goes to waste.
Over the years, the campaigns have tried to touch important issues, revolving around the quest for knowledge. From preachy to humorous to inspiring societal changes, the ads have touched them all.
The last season of the 18-year-old show ruled the rating charts throughout its run and broke all previous records. According to Broadcast Audience Research Council, India, in week 35 of season nine, (26 August to 1 September 2017), KBC was at the second position among the top-watched shows in India.
The ninth season of KBC (2017) witnessed the ‘Jawab Dene Ka Waqt Aa Gaya Hai’ campaign, showing that knowledge is a great leveller in life. The campaign depicted various situations where individuals are bogged down by difficult questions of life. Through the campaign, KBC tried to change people’s destiny with the power of knowledge.
Season eight saw the campaign Yahan Sirf Paise Nahi, Dil Bhi Jeete Jate Hain by focusing on the country’s diversity. Rewind back to season three when Shah Rukh Khan took over, the show said ‘koi bhi sawal chota nahi hota’ which was followed by ‘koi bhi insan chota nahi hota’. In 2013, the show changed its core thought towards knowledge by saying ‘seekhna bandh to jeetna bandh’ which was preceded by ‘gyaan hi apko aapka haq dilate hain’ in 2012.
Given the strong legacy that KBC has created over two decades, it surely is a task for creative heads to keep coming up with innovative and engaging ways to get the audience hooked.
MAM
Raghu Rai passes away at 83, leaves behind iconic legacy
Padma Shri-winning photographer documented history across 5 decades.
MUMBAI: The lens may have stilled, but the stories it captured will never fade. Raghu Rai, one of India’s most celebrated photojournalists, passed away on April 26, 2026, at the age of 83. He breathed his last at a private hospital in New Delhi after battling cancer and age-related health issues.
His son, Nitin Rai, revealed that Rai had been diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago, which later spread to the stomach and, more recently, the brain. Despite multiple rounds of treatment, his health had declined in recent months.
Born in 1942 in Jhang, Punjab (now in Pakistan), Rai entered photography in his early twenties, inspired by his elder brother, photographer S. Paul. Beginning his career in the mid-1960s, he went on to build a body of work that spanned more than five decades, contributing to global publications such as Time, Life, GEO, Le Figaro, The New York Times, Vogue, GQ and Marie Claire.
His global recognition took a decisive leap in 1977 when legendary French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson nominated him to join Magnum Photos, placing him among the world’s most respected visual storytellers.
Rai’s lens chronicled both power and poignancy. He photographed towering figures such as Indira Gandhi, Dalai Lama, Bal Thackeray, Satyajit Ray and Mother Teresa, while also documenting defining moments like the Bhopal gas tragedy later captured in his book Exposure: A Corporate Crime.
Over the years, he published more than 18 books, building an archive that blended journalism with artistry. His contributions were recognised early when he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972 for his coverage of the Bangladesh War and refugee crisis. In 1992, he was named “Photographer of the Year” in the United States for his work in National Geographic, and in 2009, he was honoured with the Officier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.
Rai is survived by his wife Gurmeet, son Nitin, and daughters Lagan, Avani and Purvai. His last rites will be held at Lodhi Cremation Ground in New Delhi at 4 pm on Sunday.
With his passing, Indian photojournalism loses not just a pioneer, but a patient observer of history, one frame at a time.
