'Bigg Boss 19': Endemol Shine COO teases 'bigger, better' season
What's the story
The wait is almost over! Bigg Boss 19, which premieres tonight, promises a unique twist with its theme, Gharwalon Ki Sarkaar. While JioHotstar will stream the show at 9:00pm, Colors TV will air it later at 10:30pm. In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Rishi Negi, COO of Endemol Shine and Banijay Asia (the show's producer) discussed the upcoming season and how it aims to be "bigger" and "better" than past seasons.
Theme
Addressing viewer concerns about bias and scripting
Negi spoke about the new season's theme, saying, "For the last couple of years, we have been hearing on social media a lot of people saying Bigg Boss is biased or scripted." "While the show is completely unscripted as it is a reality show, there's no interference for 105 days with the contestants. The only thing we give them is the tasks and the feedback that goes to them through Salman Khan."
Audience role
Will the audience still have a role in Season 19?
The new season will empower housemates with the power to make decisions, a move that has raised questions about the audience's role. Negi clarified that while housemates will have decision-making power, the final say will still rest with the viewers. He said, "The role of the audience stays the same, that is, they will decide who will stay and who will go." Reports also suggest that some guest hosts will replace Khan toward the season's end.
Unique tasks
'Bigg Boss' Season 19 will feature never-before-seen tasks
One of the major complaints from viewers in recent seasons has been the lack of high-energy tasks. Addressing this, Negi confirmed that Season 19 will feature never-before-seen tasks. "One of the big things we are doing this year is that the team has worked on the entire task list, and all the tasks you will see have never been done before or seen before."
Expectations
Can Season 19 match the magic of Season 13?
When asked if the new season can match the magic of Season 13, which was a fan favorite, Negi expressed confidence. He said, "Season 13 was iconic because of some of the housemates like Sidharth, Asim or Shehnaaz or Shefali." "I am very hopeful and confident because this year we have looked at casting with a fresh perspective. We looked at casting of characters."
Casting strategy
Casting focused on characters, not just social media fame
Negi also revealed that this season's casting will focus on characters, not just social media fame. He said, "The attempt while Bigg Boss casting is that while you have people who are famous and big following, our attempt this year has been to look for characters." "I am not going to cast somebody just because they have a huge following." Amaal Mallik and Gaurav Khanna, among others, will be seen on the show.