It’s a mix of everything—platform, legacy, content: Rishi Negi on Bigg Boss’s strong start

Bigg Boss 19 has opened to impressive numbers on both television and OTT. The season registered an opening of 1.6 TVR on Colors TV, averaging 1.3 TVR during its first week, despite the fact that episodes premiere first on JioHotstar at 9 pm before airing on Colors at 10:30 pm. On digital, the show delivered the biggest-ever OTT opening, with reach increasing 2.3 times and watch-time 2.4 times compared to last season.

According to Rishi Negi, Group COO, Banijay Asia and EndemolShine India, this outcome is the result of several factors working together. “It’s a mix of everything—the platform’s subscriber base, the strength of the Bigg Boss legacy, the quality of content, and this year’s contestants. Our endeavour was to create something that connects with audiences, and it has worked,” he said.

This season marked the first time Bigg Boss adopted an OTT-first release model. Episodes stream on JioHotstar 90 minutes before Colors, a shift that raised questions about television performance. Negi pointed out that the results have been encouraging.

“When we launched, Bigg Boss was still the highest-rated non-fiction show on Colors despite being a deferred telecast. In fact, ratings are stronger than last year when the show was simulcast on both TV and OTT,” he said.

He noted that the staggered release taps into Bigg Boss’s core appeal as a curiosity-driven property. According to him, audiences prefer experiencing the drama in real time rather than discovering it through social media chatter later, making the early OTT release a natural fit for the format.

“From the public data available and from our understanding, on all parameters, we’ve grown nearly 2.5x. First, it’s about driving subscriptions. But after that, it’s about engagement - how long you can keep audiences hooked. Watch-time has grown 2.5x and sustained at that level, which is a big achievement for Season 19,” he added. 

Advertiser interest and brand partnerships

The show’s scale has translated into strong advertiser interest. Bigg Boss 19 has signed 11 sponsors- Vaseline, Appy Fizz, Danube Properties, Flipkart, Citroën, Silver Coin Atta, Manforce, Lakme Peach Milk, Haier, Fujifilm and Lux Cozi.

Negi described the sponsor profile as diverse. “There are common brand partners across TV and digital, and also unique partners for each. The addition of brands this season clearly indicates the property is doing well,” he said.

Negi identified three key differentiators for Bigg Boss 19. The first is the “democracy” theme, which puts decision-making power entirely in the hands of housemates. He noted that this has created compelling viewing, as audiences watch contestants make choices, regret them, and deal with the consequences.

The second is the redesigned look of the Bigg Boss house, which, he said, has drawn strong positive feedback and added freshness compared to previous seasons.

The third factor is casting. Negi emphasised that the show’s success doesn’t come from simply assembling big names, but from selecting diverse and distinctive personalities who can bring different shades to the narrative and keep audiences invested.

Strategy for the future

Negi also addressed whether this dual-release model could be replicated for other marquee shows. “This will depend on the platform mindset. JioStar has a very forward-looking approach and recognizes that OTT is the future. That is why they have created marquee properties like Bigg Boss. This shows that while continuing on TV, you can also grow your digital business and prepare for the future,” he said.

Looking ahead, his focus remains on sustaining momentum throughout the season. “We’ve started well, but our endeavour is to keep bringing out new twists and turns, to make it bigger and better. I am never satisfied; I believe the show can do even more. The push this time is to keep adding new things that will bring newer audiences to the show,” he said.

With strong numbers across both platforms, a refreshed content strategy, and a robust sponsor line-up, Bigg Boss 19 is shaping up to be one of the most successful seasons yet. As Negi summed it up, “Bigg Boss is sticky content. The audience connects with the contestants and their journeys, and that is what keeps them coming back.”