Is Banijay on the hunt for a new home for Bigg Boss & Khatron Ke Khiladi?

The possible migration of Bigg Boss and Khatron Ke Khiladi from Colors to Sony could realign the television ad economy. These high-value properties are magnets for sponsors and brand integrations. With a new rights cycle approaching, Banijay is exploring platforms that better align with its creative and commercial vision. If a switch happens, Sony could gain a mass-market boost while the industry watches closely who will lock the deal, and what changes will it bring for broadcast, streaming, and advertiser trust?

Both shows currently air on Colors TV and stream on JioHotstar under a telecast deal with Viacom18. However, sources say there are deepening creative and budget-related differences between Endemol India, the production house, and JioStar.

While JioStar reportedly has a specific vision for how it wants to present these marquee properties, Endemol is said to be at odds with the direction and execution style being proposed.

Sources said that as a result of these disagreements, Endemol India’s CEO, Deepak Dhar, is actively exploring alternative options. He is currently engaged in discussions with Gaurav Banerjee, Head of Sony Entertainment Television, potentially to shift the shows to their network. At the same time, Dhar is also in talks with Kevin Vaz of JioStar in an attempt to resolve the ongoing issues and find common ground.

These conversations, however, remain exploratory at this stage, with no final decision taken yet, sources added.

Insiders suggest that the production and broadcast contracts for both Bigg Boss and Khatron Ke Khiladi are typically structured on an annual basis.

To further understand what governs such moves and the extent to which a format can change hands, legal experts point to the role of licensing agreements.

“Any content which is based on a format or an existing IP, like in this case, are controlled through format licence agreement or IP derivative or adaptation agreement, which deal with what happens to the IP of the new content, the broadcasting/exploitation of them and other terms,” said Chandrima Mitra, Partner, DSK Legal.

These contracts are with the rights holder of the format or the IP, which in case of Bigg Boss, is Endemol Shine, the international entity.

The format licence agreements determine how the creatives will pan out, to what extent there can be a departure from the format bible and elements given by the format owner to the format licensee like a Viacom18 or Sony, etc. what are the do’s and don’t’s that the licensee needs to adhere to when producing the new content. The production houses are then engaged by these licensees.

“In this case coincidentally it happens to be an Endemol domestic entity in India, which is the production house for the show, like for Bigg Boss. It’s not necessary that the licensee and the production house are the same entity,” Mitra added.

Basically, format licence agreements are typically time-bound, valid for a set number of years, after which they can be renegotiated or reassigned to new partners, depending on the terms.

Such shifts are not uncommon in Indian television. For instance, the first season of both Bigg Boss and Khatron Ke Khiladi (first launched as Fear Factor India), aired on Sony before moving to Colors. Similarly, Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) famously moved from Star Plus to Sony.

Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa has also switched networks over the years, reaffirming that format ownership lies with the rightsholder, while broadcast rights can be flexible and market-driven.

However, there is more to it than just rights.

Advocate Rohit Jain, Managing Partner, Singhania and Co, said apart from copyright, there is also brand and goodwill that forms part of the IP rights in a show.

“Depending on the terms of the contract, Viacom may seek injunction on the shifting of broadcast and also get an order against Endemol for specific performance to complete the term of the contract. As per the judicial precedents, enforcement of non-compete clauses may be challenging and most likely, the telecast agreement would be composed of an arbitration clause and the dispute will most likely be referred to arbitration,” Jain added.

It’s also important to understand that these shows are cash cows for the networks that air them.

While specific figures for Bigg Boss Season 18's total advertising revenue in 2024 have not been publicly disclosed, industry estimates suggest a significant uptick compared to previous seasons. In fact, reports indicate there was a 30-40% increase in revenue for Season 18 over the previous year. Some of the big new sponsors last season included Vaseline, Bella Vita, and Parle 20-20 Cookies. Others on the sponsor list were Ching’s Schezwan Chutney, Berger Paints, Blue Heaven, Harpic, Macho Sporto, Good Knight, and Galaxy Chocolate.

In terms of spot sales, more than 50% of the advertising inventory was sold even before the season premiered. Ad rates for Bigg Boss 18 were reportedly pegged at Rs 2.5 lakh per 10-second slot, with an additional premium of Rs 50,000 for weekend episodes.

It’s not just the Hindi version — Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8 also saw strong advertiser interest, onboarding 14 sponsors across categories. These included Nandu White Dhothis, KAG Tiles, A23 Rummy, Cadbury 5 Star, Kaleesuwari, Haier Home Appliances, Kanchipuram Varamahalakshmi Silks, Cera Sanitaryware, Himalaya Wellness Company, Healthy Grocer Perungayam, Atomberg, Bubbl Paint, Advanced Grohair, and Aroma Ghee.

In terms of reach, Bigg Boss Season 18 garnered over 205 million viewers across TV and JioCinema over four months, logging 112 billion viewing minutes, according to network data. The show also saw 5.6 billion views across social media platforms and 2.9 billion views on JioCinema alone.

While it may not match the scale of Bigg Boss, Khatron Ke Khiladi also enjoys massive fan following and advertiser interest.

“One’s loss is another’s gain,” said an industry insider. “Both properties bring in substantial revenue through subscriptions, ads, and sponsorships. This will help Sony shore up its ratings. On the other hand, Jio/Colors will need strong alternatives to retain their viewer base. With online content already putting pressure on linear channels, the loss of such high-impact formats can have a real impact,” another senior executive in the broadcasting ecosystem added.

A shift of Bigg Boss and Khatron Ke Khiladi to Sony could also dramatically alter the weekend programming battleground, said other experts.

These properties have historically driven high viewership on weekend prime-time slots, and their absence from Colors could weaken its weekend dominance. For Sony, it would mean a fresh injection of mass-market appeal in an otherwise family-and-movie-driven weekend slate.

Aimed at expanding its audience base, Sony has already been working hard to enhance its weekend programming with new launches like CID 2 and Indian Idol Season 15. Adding Bigg Boss and Khatron Ke Khiladi to that mix would not only elevate its weekend lineup further but also solidify their pitch to sponsors.

Many questions around licensing, digital exclusivity, and platform synergies remain unanswered for now. As this high-stakes shuffle plays out behind the scenes, industry insiders speculate that Banijay might simply be testing the waters.