Reality TV needs an overhaul; Banijay Asia’s Rishi Negi has some ideas

From survival shows to real estate explorations, dating escapades to adventures, and culinary shows, Banijay Group has an impressive array of genres to offer the reality television audience, which has been fed a regular dose of dance and music reality shows for the last two decades.

Rishi Negi, group COO of Banijay Asia and EndemolShine India, says that the dance and music reality format has reached a point of oversaturation, leading to viewer fatigue. Although it started off strong, this approach has seen little evolution, with most shows following the same ‘rags-to-riches’ narrative, limiting innovation to changes in dance forms or age groups.

According to Negi, song-and-dance shows once held a dominant position in the non-fiction market. “But now the younger audiences crave more than just song and dance. They are the largest consumers of non-fiction and are driving this shift away from traditional song-and-dance shows toward more emotionally engaging and dynamic content.”

Negi highlights that this audience connects deeply with interactive and unconventional formats, such as Temptation Island. Shows like Bigg Boss have evolved by capturing the attention of the youth, who crave drama, genuine emotion, and authentic connections.

“As a society, we are inherently voyeuristic, enjoying the chance to see people beyond their skills and connect with them on a deeper level. This is evident in the success of shows such as Khatron Ke Khiladi, Bigg Boss, and Reality Rani, which deliver unscripted and authentic experiences,” he adds.

Negi assures that this year will bring a wealth of announcements for innovative formats in the non-fiction space. “At Banijay, we focus on tailoring formats to the market and introducing key shows as the audience matures,” he says.

This year marks the beginning of an exciting innovation in the popular cooking reality show, MasterChef India. This season shifts from its traditional focus on home cooks to include the star power of celebrities.

This shift highlights exceptional culinary skills while expanding the show’s allure to an audience that may not usually tune into cooking shows. “Seeing celebrities in the kitchen creates a unique draw, and I’m confident this will attract a wider audience,” he says.

Following the success of the dating reality show Temptation Island India last year, Banijay Asia launched a survival show, ‘Reality Ranis of the Jungle,’ and announced the launch of a space reality show. It also launched a real estate show, ‘Million Dollar Listing,’ for Sony LIV.

Negi reveals the show was conceptualised keeping in mind people’s aspirations to own a luxurious home, as well as because real estate has an engaged audience on social media.

“For Indians, owning a house has always been a significant aspiration. For our parents, it was more of a dream, as building a home required a lifetime of effort,” he says, adding that this began to change with banks making home loans more accessible, which made the dream of homeownership more attainable. “Today’s generation is even more aspirational, with the desire to own not just a house but one equipped with modern facilities,” he says.

The real estate sector boasts a vast and actively involved audience. Social media’s ascent has turned real estate agents into something akin to influencers. Negi points out that today’s agents are polished, educated, and professional, reflecting global standards, a stark contrast to the landscape of 15–20 years ago. Their evolved approach to showcasing and selling properties adds a new dimension to the real estate experience.

“While the real estate serves as the backdrop of the show, the characters—especially the realtors—are the heart of the story. Viewers are drawn to the negotiation process and the evaluation of properties, but they must connect with the personalities on-screen,” he says.

Negi is confident that this show holds significant promise for lasting appeal, as the aspiration for homeownership resonates universally. The creators are currently weighing their options for the second season: should they delve deeper into a single region, expanding on the characters and narratives introduced in Season 1, or venture into new territory, highlighting the unique real estate opportunities and distinct character of a different area?

“Expanding to new regions could also broaden our audience base—for example, viewers in Mumbai would naturally be more interested in stories tied to their city,” he adds.

The show is an adaptation of a popular American reality television series. Most of Banijay’s shows, including Bigg Boss, Masterchef India, and Temptation Island India, are adaptations of popular international shows. Negi says while adapting these shows for the Indian audience, localisation is essential, and a cookie-cutter approach risks failure.

“The original format provides the structure. However, cultural nuances, especially around emotions and humour, differ significantly. It is crucial to adapt the format to align with local sensibilities,” he says.

Innovation is also key to ensure longevity, especially when attention spans are shrinking and content is everywhere. “With reels and short-form content capturing so much of people’s time, staying relevant means continuously evolving. Fear of innovation is a surefire way to fail,” he adds.

However, according to television data, the viewership of reality shows has been consistently declining over the years. For example, the TRP of Bigg Boss, one of the most popular reality television shows, has been averaging between 0.9 to 2.0 since the pandemic. Its season 13, in 2019, which was its most successful season ever, had an average 2.1-2.5 TRP every week.

Negi says while considering the success of a reality show, it is important to take note of its OTT viewership as well, as many urban viewers watch them on streaming platforms rather than traditional TV.

“In India, every broadcaster now has its own OTT platform. While TV ratings are often the primary metric, we overlook the millions watching the same shows simultaneously on OTT platforms. This is particularly true for reality shows, which have a strong youth appeal,” he says. 

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