GECs

The science behind KBC’s theme

Published

13 years ago

August 1, 2013

MUMBAI: Remember the “Unwanted” girl who goes on to win Kaun Banega Crorepati? The power of knowledge (Sirf Gyaan Hi Aapko Aapka Haq Dilata Hai) helped her reach the hot seat but imagine what would have happened if she had stopped there? Most of us tend do stop learning after we reach a certain position and certain stature. This year, viewers of Sony Entertainment have been watching the Big B Amitabh Bachchan coming on their TV screens, reminding them Seekhna Band…Toh Jeetna Band.

Yes, that is the theme for this year’s KBC. Taking a step forward from last year’s theme, the show plans to motivate its viewers to continue learning through its campaign, which went on air a couple of weeks ago. Sony Entertainment Television senior VP and marketing head Gaurav Seth explains, “The theme ties in beautifully with the idea of KBC. In life and in KBC when you become complacent and arrogant that is when you understand that you have lost in both life and KBC.”

From Koi Bhi Sawaal Chhota Nahi Hota to Seekhna Band…Toh Jeetna Band, the channel has come up with innovative messaging almost every year. And don’t be foolish to think that these just fall out of thin air. It takes four to five months of brainstorming, two-days of workshopping by all concerned entities (SET, Big Synergy, Leo Burnett) to weigh the pros and cons, before the theme is finalized.

“Every year the mood of the nation changes, we need to be abreast with what is happening in the country and incorporate it in the brand message without losing out on the show’s uniqueness ,” says Leo Burnett’s executive creative director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari who has been associated with KBC’s creative since it was first aired on Sony.

The obvious question that everyone has on their minds is why have a theme? Isn’t it just a game show? “It is not a game, it is a life changer,” comes the unanimous response from Seth and Tiwari. Both go on to elaborate that the show connects with people and themes only go on to humanise the concept. “The theme is resonant with Indian society,” says Seth.

The current theme works around inculcating the spirit of learning at every stage of life. Citing Big B’s example they both say, “Even today a great man like him doesn’t shy away from an opportunity to learn. So, why should we?” The same message has been very satirically incorporated in the two promos, directed by Amit Sharma of Chrome Pictures, which are on air right now.

Tiwari elaborates, “Through the show’s brand campaign we are taking a righteous stand which will only go on to help our viewers who in some way or the other will pay heed to it because Big B is saying it.”

Kicking in the buzz for KBC

Almost a crore wannabe KBC-ers have registered themselves to get closer to the hot seat. And while the production house is busy finalizing the contestants, Sony Entertainment Television is working at devising ways to both attract and engage audiences.

“KBC has transformed entertainment and we are working at creating the buzz,” says SET senior VP & marketing head Gaurav Seth. The channel is currently busy with designing online and on-ground activities to be relayed before and during the show launch. “A lot of play-along activities and apps are being designed. The apps will be launched by 15 August,” he informs.

The channel is also working on its digital campaign for the launch of the show. “There will be huge engagement. We will ensure interaction through people writing back with their feedback. This time the audience will also get an opportunity to compete and challenge their peer groups. There will also be live play-along through twitter once the show launches. There are several ideas and these will be put across to the audiences in the weeks to come,” says Seth.

KBC is initially being promoted through television promos. “We have shot four TV promos, two of which are already on-air. The rest will come in the next 10 days,” he informs. This will be followed by digital and radio promotions.

“We will use the print medium on the day and a week post the show launch. The outdoor marketing will kick start a week prior to the launch,” he says.

As far as below the line activation is concerned it is has quite a few promotions planned. Its marketing teams will host Aapke Sheher Hot Seat in 12 cities nationally. “Through this, we get viewers to sit in front of the computer and win prizes. Winners will be invited to a special event in that city which will have a proper sit down with a host. We will recreate the environment in the smaller cities, with Amitabh Bachchan asking the same questions on the television screen,” informs Seth.

The OOH activity is still in the planning stage and will be handled by Madison Outdoor Media Services.

Over the years, KBC has transformed the way people view television and understand entertainment in the country. Says Anita Kaul Basu (who can be labeled as the queen of the non-fiction format and the director of Big Synergy which is the production house for the show): “For a format which has been on television for over a decade, it has only strengthened itself. The viewers have changed and so have the viewing habits. In order to keep abreast with the changing times, the show which has a set format has always come back with an innovative theme to add to its freshness.”

Last year, a new segment was added to KBC, wherein the background of the contestants (the backstory) who made it to the hot seat was shown. This was an effort to open a window to the aspirations of India and what India stands for. “Through this we tried to build a connect between the contestant and the viewers, who no matter what strata of the society they belonged to, aspire to be on the hot seat,” reiterates Kaul Basu.

When asked about how does she and her team continue to engage people for over a decade, Kaul Basu says it’s not everybody’s cup of tea. “I have a special research team comprising 50 people (mainly in Delhi) who interact with experts like doctors, lawyers, academicians etc to come up with not only questions but also to know what people want to see.”

As KBC enters its seventh season, we at indiantelevision.com foresee many more entertaining and informative seasons of the show. Basu, while hoping for this, laughs and says, “It is an incredible format and has its own life. It has worked in every language, across regions and hosts and will continue to do so, and know it will do so for many many more years. And we will continue to innovate in India to keep it engaging and fresh. And of course we cannot forget the trump card we have in Mr Bachchan. He deserves a bow. ”

Indeed, come the first week of September (when the show is slated to air), many an Indian TV viewer is quite likely to give him one.

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GECs

Sun TV posts steady revenue, profit dips amid rising costs

Published

2 days ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

CHENNAI: It appears there is still plenty of Sun to go around in the Indian broadcasting landscape, even if a few clouds have drifted across the financial horizon. Sun TV Network Limited, the Chennai-based behemoth that dominates airwaves across seven languages, has tuned into a steady frequency for the quarter ending 31 December 2025. While the numbers show a resilient revenue stream, the company’s latest broadcast reveals a few static-filled spots in its profit margins.

For the quarter in question, Sun TV’s total income climbed by approximately 3.31 per cent, reaching Rs 958.39 crores compared to Rs 927.66 crores in the same period last year. Revenue from operations also saw a healthy bump, rising 4.32 per cent to Rs 827.87 crores.

The real star of the show, however, was domestic subscription revenue, which surged by 8.86 per cent to Rs 472.99 crores. This growth highlights the enduring appetite for Sun’s diverse content, which spans everything from daily soaps in Tamil and Telugu to its burgeoning OTT platform, Sun NXT.

Despite the revenue growth, the picture quality of the profits was slightly blurred by rising costs. Eitda for the quarter stood at Rs 409.79 crores, a dip from the Rs 432.14 crores recorded in the corresponding 2024 quarter.

The profit after tax followed a similar downward trend, settling at Rs 316.44 crores against the previous year’s Rs 347.17 crores. Advertisers also seemed to have switched channels slightly, with advertisement revenues sliding to Rs 291.94 crores from Rs 332.17 crores.

Sun TV isn’t just playing on home turf; its sporting ambitions are becoming increasingly global. The network now owns three major cricket franchises: SunRisers Hyderabad in the IPL, SunRisers Eastern Cape in SA20, and SunRisers Leeds Limited in The Hundred (UK).

The foray into British cricket saw the company acquire a 100 per cent stake in Northern Superchargers Limited (now SunRisers Leeds) for approximately £100 million. While these franchises brought in Rs 14.61 crores this quarter, they also incurred corresponding costs of Rs 19.89 crores. Over the nine-month period, however, the cricket business is a major player, contributing Rs 487.64 crores in income.

The company’s bottom line took a minor hit from exceptional items, including a Rs 4.23 crore charge related to India’s new Labour Codes, which consolidated 29 existing labour laws. Additionally, the consolidated results reflect the amalgamation of Kal Radio Limited with Udaya FM, a move that became effective in May 2025 and required a restatement of previous figures.

To keep investors from reaching for the remote, the Board has declared an interim dividend of 50 per cent, that’s Rs 2.50 per equity share. This comes on top of earlier dividends of 100 per cent (Rs 5.00) and 75 per cent (Rs 3.75) declared in August and November 2025, respectively.

With a massive cash reserve and a dominant position in the South Indian market, Sun TV continues to shine, even if the current quarter required a bit of fine-tuning. For now, shareholders can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

GECs

SPNI hires Pradeep M with responsibility for standards and practices in the south

Published

6 days ago

February 3, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India has hired Pradeep M to handle standards and practices for its southern market, bolstering its compliance bench as content rules tighten across platforms.

Pradeep, who has nearly 13 years in the entertainment media industry, takes on responsibility for content standards in a region that is both linguistically diverse and regulatorily sensitive. His brief spans television, OTT, sports and digital platforms.

He specialises in content review and compliance across shows, commercials, on-air promotions and international feeds, ensuring alignment with broadcast, OTT and advertising codes. He has also handled brand approvals and sponsorship integrations for heavily regulated categories—including online gaming, cryptocurrency, NFTs and lottery brands—offering guidance shaped by fast-evolving rules.

Before Sony, Pradeep worked at Jiostar as assistant manager for content regulation from November 2024 to January 2026. Earlier, he spent nearly seven years at Viacom18 Media, rising from senior executive to assistant manager in content regulation between 2018 and 2024. There he served as a key compliance touchpoint for the network.

His career began on the creative side. Between 2013 and 2018, he worked as executive producer on feature films and television shows, gaining hands-on exposure to production. He also had a stint as a non-fiction show director at Star TV Network in 2017. That mix of creative and regulatory experience gives him a dual lens—how content is made and how it must be managed.

As regulators, platforms and advertisers all tighten the screws, broadcasters are investing more in gatekeepers who can keep creativity within the lines. Sony’s latest hire shows where the industry is heading: in the streaming age, compliance is content’s quiet co-star.

GECs

Colors Gujarati rolls out two new shows from 2nd February

Published

6 days ago

February 2, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Colors Gujarati has unveiled two new prime-time shows as part of its push to strengthen culturally rooted storytelling for regional audiences. The channel will premiere the devotional saga Gangasati–Paanbai at 7.30 pm, followed by the romantic family drama Manmelo at 9.30 pm from February 2.

Inspired by Gujarat’s spiritual and literary heritage, Gangasati–Paanbai: Shyam Dhun No Navo Adhyay draws from the timeless bhajans and poetry of saint-poetesses Gangasati and Paanbai, weaving devotion and human values into a contemporary narrative aimed at younger viewers.

In contrast, Manmelo explores love and responsibility across social divides, tracing the lives of three middle-class sisters whose relationships with three affluent brothers reshape their futures. The show delves into ambition, emotional conflict and the realities of married life, offering a layered family drama.

A Colors Gujarati spokesperson said the new launches reflect the channel’s commitment to authentic Gujarati entertainment that blends cultural values with modern storytelling.