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Mahesh Shetty, head of entertainment, JioHotstar (left)
The festive season has kicked off, and so has the buzz around the new season(s) of Bigg Boss. From rumours of WWE legend The Undertaker entering the house to the show’s launch in five different languages, Bigg Boss has set the country’s chatter mill spinning.
Adapted from the Dutch reality show Big Brother, Bigg Boss has over the years become one of India’s most-watched television shows. The premise is captivating: a group of celebrities is isolated from the outside world, kept under constant surveillance, and engaged in tasks and situations intended to provoke drama, conflict, and camaraderie—all for the audience's entertainment.
Confirming the latest buzz for afaqs!, Mahesh Shetty, head of entertainment and revenue at JioHotstar, the official streaming partner for Bigg Boss. While the Undertaker’s entry may or may not happen, the real story is the show’s expansion.
For the first time, Bigg Boss will launch simultaneously in five languages—Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.
“The biggest Bollywood blockbusters launch during Diwali because that's when the entire country is in a festive mood. So, if you ask me, Big Boss is actually the biggest blockbuster of the year, and it has not one but five superstars who are coming this festive season to regale audiences,” says Shetty.
This year, Bigg Boss will be hosted by stars including Salman Khan (Hindi), Vijay Sethupathi (Tamil), Mohanlal (Malayalam), Nagarjuna (Telugu) and Kiccha Sudeepa (Kannada). Bigg Boss Bangla and Bigg Boss Marathi have been discontinued for now, citing audience receptivity.
| Language | TV Channel | Streaming Platform | Launch Date |
| Bigg Boss Hindi | Colors TV | JioHotstar | August 24, 2025 |
| Bigg Boss Tamil | Star Vijay | JioHotstar | TBD |
| Bigg Boss Malayalam | Asianet | JioHotstar | August 3, 2025 |
| Bigg Boss Telugu | Star Maa | JioHotstar | September 7, 2025 |
| Bigg Boss Kannada | Colors Kannada | JioHotstar | TBD |
Exactly how big is Bigg Boss?
According to viewership data from BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) and JioHotstar, over the past three years, Bigg Boss has engaged approximately 400 million viewers annually, reaching nearly 45% of India’s television audience.
The show, particularly in South India, reaches about 200 million viewers over the season and generates 4.1 billion hours of watch time across television networks and streaming platforms.
“There are more people watching, and there are people watching more,” says Shetty.
The reason for the success of Bigg Boss, says Shetty, is that “it appeals to a basic human nature”. “It is the vicarious pleasure that you get when you see what is happening in someone else's house,” he adds.
“When Bigg Boss throws the contestants in sticky situations where there are conflicts as well as camaraderie, it makes for great viewership,” explains Shetty.
He also attributes the popularity of Bigg Boss to the diversity of its contestants, who are celebrities in their own right, and the star power of its hosts.
Talking about the audience’s equation with the contestants, Shetty elaborates, “They start watching the show, and in the initial weeks, they just get a sense of the contestants. Over a couple of weeks, they start forming their relationships with the contestants. In the middle of the season, they have their favourites. And as the season comes to a close, they have hardcore favourites who they are rooting for.”
About hosts, Shetty says, “Each host comes with their own star power, style, and attitude, adding to the charisma of the show.”
According to Shetty, beyond television screens, the audience also engages with Bigg Boss content via reruns, social media and even through water-cooler conversations at work. “So, they start living Bigg Boss, and that is the journey even a viewer goes through,” he adds.
What’s new this time?
Addressing the launch of multi-language editions of Bigg Boss, Shetty says, “Each market and its audiences are different. The core of Bigg Boss remains the same, but you have to present it in a different avatar every year to keep the audience engaged.”
As per the trailer, this year, Bigg Boss Hindi is coming up with a new twist called ‘Gharwalon ki Sarkar’. “In the previous seasons, it was Bigg Boss who was deciding everything from tasks to captaincy, but the twist this time is that the housemates are going to decide a lot of things,” explains Shetty.
“There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for all markets. It is customised for that market, depending on what will resonate in that particular market.”
Advertisers’ interest
As per JioHotstar, over the last five years, Bigg Boss has seen participation from more than 400 advertisers and 1,000+ brands.
Additionally, about 631 advertisers have engaged with the show over 17 seasons in Hindi alone. “So, the advertiser's interest is very strong, very positive,” claims Shetty.
Some of the top brands that have been associated with the Bigg Boss franchise over the years include Hindustan Unilever Limited (6+ seasons), Ching’s (7 consecutive seasons), Appy Fizz (6 seasons), Garnier Men (14 seasons), Vodafone (5 seasons) and Oppo, which made its India debut with Bigg Boss in 2014.
Since the show is launching with “almost double-digit growth versus last year”, advertisers such as Appy Fizz, Vaseline, Flipkart, Danube Properties (a real estate firm in Dubai), and Citroën Cars (a French automobile manufacturer) are already on board for Bigg Boss Hindi. New categories such as fintech and real estate are joining the roster this year.
Similarly, many packaged food and jewellery brands have shown interest in Bigg Boss Malayalam. “In addition to national brands, in our regional editions, we also have many local brands that come on board. These are huge local brands, but people in Bombay and Delhi may not know them,” adds Shetty.
Interestingly, Shetty points out that "Asian Paints has chosen to sponsor Big Boss in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada, while Berger Paints is one of our sponsors for the Malayalam version", and he adds that "the house is a very key part of Bigg Boss as a show, attracting audiences especially during the festive season when people are looking to renovate their homes." This makes the show a natural fit for paint brands.
“Even winter brands like Vaseline come on board since Bigg Boss lasts well into the winter season,” notes Shetty.
Highlighting brand integration in the show, Shetty says, “The kind of integration that you can do in a show like Bigg Boss, you can't do anywhere else. Very often, you have properties where just a logo is visible, but here, it's not just about the brand logo; it’s also about brand usage because it is about contestants using the products.”
For example, housemates used the Snapdeal portal to buy essential household items during Bigg Boss season 8, making the brand a natural and functional part of the contestants' lives rather than just a passive sponsor.
JioHotsar’s Festive Sentiment Survey
To highlight the need for advertising during the festive season, JioHotsar recently conducted a festive sentiment survey with 8,000 participants across India. The survey revealed consumer receptivity to ads and shopping during festivities:
- Most shoppers (85%) feel their finances are stable or better.
- Millennials are set to outspend Gen Z.
- Women are diversifying purchases across multiple categories.
- Top spending is on apparel (33%), mobiles (27%), and electronics (18%).
- Online ads influence 76% of consumers, and 65% are still undecided on a brand.
- Shopping is split between online (52%) and offline (42%).
- 61% of consumers prefer digital payments.
It is Bigg Bosswho surveils all his contestants, but closely watching the show this time will be the many advertisers and marketers who have made the costly franchise an inevitable part of their media mix.
