KBC looks to spice up the script at 11, but can it keep up the game?

One of the longest running non-fiction formats on TV turns to tech and breathless storytelling to stay relevant, but can it keep up the game?

Amitabh Bachchan is back on the telly, his trademark baritone and conversational skills in full display as Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), based on the British format of ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’ turns 11 this season. Broadcaster Sony Entertainment Television (SET) has found 13 brands, eight for the TV channel and five for the digital airing on SonyLiv, for the show so far and; according to several unnamed sources, has managed to sell close to 80 per cent of its advertising inventory.

However, the big question is can KBC match the grip of racy, ad-free content being offered by the phalanx of OTT (over-the-top) entities in the country? Can it take its viewership numbers back on a rising curve, shaking them out of the slow slide that began last year? Season 9 (2017), broadcast after a gap of three years, racked up a viewership of 249 million whereas Season 10 (2018) saw a drop to 223 million (BARC, 2+, All India, Urban and Rural). 

A spokesperson for SET dismissed such fears and said, “Since KBC has been the No. 1 non-fiction show in the category, we are focused towards maintaining our leadership and stronghold with viewers.” The channel has launched a blitzkrieg in print, TV and online to woo its target audience, defined as 31+ (male and female) across Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM). The spokesperson added that apart from the Sony network, KBC spots were on 26 TV channels and on radio across key markets. Plus in Mumbai and New Delhi, OOH is a key part of the mix, as is digital. 

Among the brands on board are Oppo Reno (the main sponsor), IDFC First Bank, LIC, CEAT, Cardekho.com, Asian Paints, Ultratech and Amity University (associate sponsors). And on SonyLIV, the brands backing the show are LIC, Flipkart, Swiggy, Insurance Dekho and Medlife.

What has kept the show ticking and brands interested over the years is that Brand KBC has kept evolving said Ambi Parameswaran, brand strategist and founder of Brand-Building.com. “They have always added a new dimension to the brand. Earlier it was only about who will become a millionaire, then it was about how a right answer can change your fortune. Later it was about how knowledge can take you out of poverty. From greed, it became all about knowledge being an enabler for success. Over the last 10 editions they have managed to do it pretty well,” he said.

Over the years KBC has sought to build itself up as a human interest programme, rather than a quiz show that helps a lucky few. The new campaign for Season 11 sticks to the theme. Inspirational back stories about self-belief, self-confidence and self-esteem of the participants, who often come from small towns and impoverished backgrounds, have been playing out for a few weeks now. 

The format has also seen many changes and last year, an element of augmented reality or AR was introduced on the sets, which is being pushed even more keenly this year. Q–Rover, a buggy cam (remote camera platform) is the latest addition and is expected to keep audiences engaged in the studio and at home. The makers of the show have also plugged into the growing consumption of heroic tales among its target group and said that every Friday, the show will host and felicitate ‘karamveers’ (doers), those whose heroic actions and good deeds have brought about a positive change in the society.

The show is keen to have a larger message woven around the game and this year, the idea is to present it as a platform that helps the young dream. The launch campaign is all about helping the young find the confidence to persevere against all odds. Filmed around the real-life stories of the participants with Bachchan delivering the punch line: Viswas hain toh us par khadey raho (Keep the faith in your abilities), it makes an emotional appeal to its viewers, hoping to hook them to the drama off screen as well.

While the campaigns create a buzz around the programme, the big challenge is to keep the concept fresh. Parameswaran said, “The concept is almost 20 years old. Unless they create some new layering, it is not going to last another ten years.” He is confident though that the show’s makers will pull a new trick to keep the audiences hooked, as they do every year.