GECs
‘KBC’ to come back July, say Nair, AB
MUMBAI: The cash registers are going to start ringing in July. The telephone lines are going to start humming once again. Star is bringing back its runaway success, the Amitabh Bachchan-hosted game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) in July, possibly with more prize money.
Confirming this to indiantelevision.com, Star India chief operating officer Sameer .Nair said pre-production is slated to start in February.
“We have a balance of 85 episodes with Bachchan. We can also do more,” he said. Bachchan’s existing contract with Star was for 390 episodes.
On being queried whether the prize money would remain the same, Nair said “it may be more.” The show, which changed the fortunes of Star Plus, used to hand over a maximum award of Rs 1 crore (10 million) to the winner.
But would there be any change from the original KBC, which was launched on 3 July 2000 and which went off the air in 2002? “It is too early to state anything definite now,” said Nair. Though the basic format of the show taken from Who Wants to be a Millionaire can’t change, Star could introduce some element of novelty to revive its popularity which started waning towards the end before being put off air.
KBC 2005 will continue to be produced by Siddharth Basu’s Synergy Communications.
Bachchan had earlier confirmed to Subhash K Jha, a columnist with indiantelevision.com, that KBC was being revived in July. “I kept shifting the date because of my film commitments. But now I don’t think delaying KBC makes any sense. While I still have my wits I better get down to it. So I’ll make time for KBC in July,” Bachchan has told Jha.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
