In an exclusive interaction with MediaBrief, Bikash Kundu, Head of Revenue (Regional Networks) at Viacom18, speaks about the growth in viewership and TV ratings for Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5 and Bigg Boss Kannada Season 11. Kundu discusses the contributors to the success of these seasons, underscoring the unique features of each show—including the eclectic mix of contestants and tasks—as well as the extensive and unique brand integrations for both programs.
The fifth season of Bigg Boss Marathi has been its most successful yet, debuting at 2.4 TVR and peaking in the following weeks with 3.2 TVR in week two and 3.9 TVR in week three. Commenting on the success of this new season, Bikash Kundu says, “The ratings for Bigg Boss Marathi have consistently grown week after week. On weekends, we have a segment called Bhaucha Dhaka featuring Ritesh Deshmukh, who is affectionately called ‘Bhau’ in the Marathi film industry. Our weekend ratings for four consecutive weeks crossed a TVR of 4, and the overall ratings are up 300% compared to last season. This season has been a spectacular success, not just on television but also on JioCinema, breaking all previous records.”
“The ratings story has been phenomenal,” adds Kundu, “not just in terms of viewership. We’ve seen great advertiser interest as well, particularly from FMCG brands, which account for 60-70% of our revenue. While rural consumption is slowing down and budgets are being cut, once Bigg Boss Marathi launched, the feedback from advertisers was excellent.”
“This was the first season with Ritesh Deshmukh as host, which was a bit of a POC for us, but it worked out incredibly well,” he reveals. “He’s hugely popular in Maharashtra, and when we saw the traction on JioCinema, we were thrilled. This time, the response has been overwhelming compared to previous seasons, and we achieved our highest-ever revenue with 12 sponsors onboard.”
Key factors behind Bigg Boss Marathi’s success
Touching upon the key factors that played a role in the success of Bigg Boss Marathi S5, Bikash Kundu says, “Of course, the host is crucial but the mix of contestants was what we got spot on.”
“We had a great blend of big names from the film and TV industries, social media influencers, and even a former Bigg Boss Hindi contestant. This eclectic mix, combined with Ritesh’s presence, worked wonders,” he shares.
“Another key element was the weekly tasks, which create the necessary spectacle and drama that drive viewership. With 18 years of Bigg Boss experience across languages, including Marathi, we have a solid understanding of what works,” adds Kundu.
Further, he reveals that having Kedar Shinde heading programming also created a huge impact for this season. “He’s the director of Baipan Bhari Deva, the second-highest-grossing Marathi film after Lai Bhaari, and he’s brought his expertise and experience to Bigg Boss Marathi.”
Brand integrations
Outlining how the Bigg Boss platform provides a unique opportunity for brands to integrate their products in ways that other formats, like cricket or traditional advertisements, do not allow, Kundu says, “The luxury of time and the flexible nature of the show allow for creative branding, product placements, emotional engagement, and even event-like moments, such as singing and dancing, which are difficult to achieve in other formats.”
Bigg Boss continues to stand out as a platform where brands can deeply engage with both participants and viewers, creating memorable and emotional experiences that extend far beyond traditional advertising. “Brands like AMFI, Cadbury, Ching’s Secret, Santoor, and Society Tea all used unique integrations to emphasize emotional connections, personalization, and interactive experiences that involved both the contestants and the audience,” Kundu adds.
From the success story of Bigg Boss Marathi, we now turn our attention to another equally successful property: Bigg Boss Kannada. Launching with 21 sponsors this season, Bigg Boss Kannada has been instrumental in driving sustained revenue growth and forging strong brand partnerships across the regional market.
“This season,” Kundu asserts, “we have 127 episodes, 14 more than last year’s 113, and our opening revenue is 22% higher compared to last season.”
Revealing how Bigg Boss Kannada is breaking its previous records, Kundu expresses confidence in the season’s success. “Last year, we had 16 sponsors before launch, and this year we’ve closed with 21. I’ve also set a 28% higher revenue target than last year, and based on initial performance, both on TV and digital, I’m confident we’ll hit that goal.”
Jio Cinema numbers for the first three days show a 76% increase in watch time and a 22% increase in viewers compared to last season, suggesting that Season 11 is off to a great start. Commenting on this Kundu says, “The numbers are absolutely rocking, which is a lead indicator of its success for us, and if that is anything to go by, we have a winner on our hands with Season 11.”
Audience engagement in the South
Speaking about the success of Bigg Boss Kannada, Kundu explains that the South audience is fiercely loyal and deeply connected to their language. “In Karnataka, Hindi viewership is just 2%; in Tamil Nadu, it’s even less than that, so there’s minimal overlap between Hindi and regional content.”
Sharing the strategies used by the show to keep the audiences in the South engaged, Kundu mentions, “We don’t usually reveal contestants before the show’s launch; however, this year, we announced four contestants during the grand finale of another reality show, Raja Rani. This was a first for any Bigg Boss show across India.”
“Deciding to innovate on the show and make it more interesting, we created a ‘heaven’ and ‘hell’ inside the Bigg Boss house and asked viewers to vote via SMS on where these contestants should be placed. This made the experience exciting and immersive for viewers,” adds Kundu.
Another interesting integration Kundu talks about is leveraging the print platform to drive viewership for television. “We leveraged print ads to build anticipation. These ads featured a 10-digit number, encouraging viewers to give a missed call. At 5:45 PM on the day of the launch, these viewers received a call from the Bigg Boss Kannada voice, reminding them that the show would start in 15 minutes and hinting at the exciting heaven and hell concept, as well as other things we had planned.”
Eclectic contestants of Bigg Boss Kannada
The show’s eclectic mix of contestants is a known and key attraction of Bigg Boss. He continues, “Last season, for instance, one of our contestants was an MLA, and his surprise appearance sparked a lot of media attention, leading to significant buzz.”
Kundu adds that this season, “we have a contestant nicknamed ‘Gold Suresh’ because of his obsession with gold, visible in his jewelry from head to toe. His unique personality adds to the colorful mix of contestants, creating the drama and excitement that Bigg Boss is known for. These characters make the show unpredictable and engaging from day one.”
Big ratings for Bigg Boss Kannada
Last season, Bigg Boss Kannada was the highest-rated non-fiction show. “Typically, if you compare a fiction show and a non-fiction show in any market, fiction always does better, but Bigg Boss Kannada had the unique distinction of beating even fiction shows in terms of ratings,” highlights Kundu.
“Out of 113 episodes, 83 delivered a rating of 10+, which is unprecedented. The finale delivered a 16.1 in one of the target groups. Moreover, Bigg Boss Kannada rated better than any other Bigg Boss across any language last year.”
Brand integrations in Bigg Boss Kannada
Speaking about the integration that the channel has leveraged for the latest season, Kundu highlights how, for the first time, an elevator brand, Eco Planet Elevators, is featured inside the house, though it will only be visible after two to three weeks as it’s initially part of the hidden ‘hell area.’
“The Bigg Boss Kannada house, being the largest among all versions, allows for more elaborate integrations, such as last year’s elimination sequence, where contestants were picked up for their eliminations in Maruti Suzuki Brezza cars, which took a lap around the space in a first-of-its-kind stunt. Brands can enjoy custom integrations in Bigg Boss Kannada that may not be feasible in other versions due to space constraints,” says Kundu.
Further, he notes that local brands, unlike larger companies, focus on tangible metrics like product sales, showroom footfall, and phone inquiries. For instance, “Nirantara lamp oil was integrated during a traditional lighting ceremony by contestants as they prayed to the deity Chamundeshwari, connecting brand visibility to a cultural and spiritual moment.”
“Sharief Bhai Biryani, the largest-selling biryani brand on a food delivery app in Karnataka, also came on board as a digital partner. Hangyo Ice Cream, a Mangalore-based brand, has placed their refrigerators in the house as part of the luxury section. We’ll do an integration where the housemates will unlock the freezer and share ice creams; this will happen just before Diwali or Dussehra.”
“What’s interesting,” says Kundu, “is the kind of results these integrations bring. Brands like Hangyo and Levista Coffee saw their Google and YouTube search numbers skyrocket after their integrations.”
“India Gate Basmati Rice held a cook-off challenge within the show, and the video was shared on social media, creating engagement and extending the brand’s reach beyond TV to digital platforms. The owner of the company and Kiccha Sudeep will hand over the prize amount to the winners on the finale, creating further excitement for the contestants and viewers, and content for us.”
Win-win for everyone
As we wrap up this insightful interaction, Kundu reminisces about a memorable partnership from the past. He says, “Every year, Nippon Paints takes a few of their top dealers to meet the host, Kiccha Sudeep, offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences that can’t be bought, boosting the brand’s dealer engagement and morale. We don’t showcase it on television as part of the content, but we shoot the video and hand it to the client.”
“Last year, Nippon Paint ran a contest where customers who purchased a can of their paint had a chance to be a part of Bigg Boss. Winners were invited to attend the weekend show with Kiccha Sudeep. If a contestant was eliminated that week, Nippon would invite the winners on stage alongside the evicted contestant. As a special surprise, the eliminated contestant would receive a ₹1 lakh cheque for a complete home makeover, courtesy of Nippon.
“The brand loved the engagement, the consumers appreciated the content, and the contestants were thrilled with the home makeover. It was a win-win for everyone involved,” concludes Kundu.
