Bigg Boss is the biggest captive reality show on Indian television. While Banijay Asia and Endemol Shine India have expanded the Bigg Boss universe with several regional editions, the show is set to grow further with a new language version launching this year. However, amid these developments, Bigg Boss OTT is reportedly being discontinued. The show’s creator, Rishi Negi, recently spoke exclusively to SCREEN about the changes and the success of Bigg Boss Marathi 6.
Bigg Boss OTT discontinued?
Audiences got a digital version of Bigg Boss with Bigg Boss OTT in 2021. The first season was hosted by Karan Johar and Divya Aggarwal emerged as the winner. Salman Khan hosted Season 2, which Elvish Yadav won. Season 3 was hosted by Anil Kapoor, and Sana Makbul took the trophy home. On Tuesday, several reports suggested that Bigg Boss OTT was ‘indefinitely scrapped’. Confirming the news, Rishi Negi said, “With the Hindi version, we have gone digital first last year. In effect, that becomes the property which first runs on JioHotstar and then comes on TV, and I think that’s the cycle that will be followed. In all other languages, we run a simulcast, but I believe there is a very large market at the OTT and TV level. The audience is very diverse, and they love watching the show on TV. My mother only watches Bigg Boss on TV. There is a large audience that watches on appointment time, and both get us a different set of audiences.”
Last week, Banijay Asia’s Deepak Dhar announced the launch of Bigg Boss in Bhojpuri and Punjabi languages. But turns out the makers are planning to release the Bengali version this year. When exactly it gets announced is not confirmed, but Bigg Boss Bangla will air this year. Talking about the same, Rishi said, “Currently, we are producing Bigg Boss in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Marathi. We are expanding it this year, and in 2026, we are going to add Bigg Boss Bangla to the kitty.”
He added, “Our aim and ambition is to reach micro markets. The endeavour is to try and expand the footprint, and that’s what Deepak would have mentioned, that our ambition is to even get into the Bhojpuri and Punjabi market, which would make for very interesting viewing. The content would be explosive. While the Marathi market also watches the Hindi version, the whole idea is to bring something which is in their own language, with the cultural nuances, and then it resonates. We ensure that the language versions don’t clash because the chances of cannibalization are possible, so we try to keep them away from the telecast window of Hindi.”
Talking about Bigg Boss Bangla and its host, Rishi shared, “I am sure we will get a lot of love in the Bengali market. The host will be somebody whom everybody connects to. I cannot disclose who it will be as of now. But the host is someone who is known on a pan-India level.”
Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5 was a major success, and it appears the momentum is continuing with Season 6 as well. Talking about the success of the Riteish Deshmukh-hosted show, Rishi Negi shared, “The response has been fantastic. From whatever information I have got, the show has done very well on Hotstar too. The audience is loving the show, so I feel very happy that the second season is also working after last year, when we reimagined the entire Bigg Boss Marathi format. Last year, we rethought the entire Marathi version, from the contestant profile to the host Riteish coming on board to the way the house looks. For us, every language is important, and every adaptation of Bigg Boss that we produce has to have the same feel. Marathi language viewers should not feel that the Hindi version is better.”
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Bigg Boss Marathi 6 streams on JioHotstar and Colors Marathi every Monday to Sunday at 8 pm.
Nawaz Javed Kochra is a seasoned entertainment journalist at The Indian Express Online, bringing nearly a decade of expertise to the forefront of cultural reporting. With a focus on the television and Over-The-Top (OTT) landscapes, he has established himself as a prominent voice in the industry, known for his high-profile celebrity interviews and insightful coverage of the Indian entertainment sector.
Experience & Career
Nawaz holds a Master of Arts in Communication and Journalism from Mumbai University, providing him with a rigorous academic and ethical foundation. In his 11-year career, he has navigated through several of India's leading media houses, building a portfolio that spans digital, print, and broadcast media:
The Indian Express: Currently leads coverage of TV and OTT content, producing both written analysis and popular video interview segments.
Former Roles: He began his career at the iconic Stardust Magazine and later held key positions at Zoom TV, Zee Multimedia, MissMalini, Bollywood Bubble, and Raindrop Media.
Expertise & Focus Areas
Nawaz’s beat is characterized by a blend of exclusive access and trend analysis. His core areas of expertise include:
Reality Television: Specialized coverage of major franchises like Bigg Boss, providing behind-the-scenes insights and winner profiles.
OTT Ecosystem: Tracking the shift from traditional cable to digital streaming platforms, with a focus on web series and digital premieres.
Celebrity Profiles & Interviews: Nawaz is celebrated for his ability to foster candid conversations with industry stalwarts, from music composers like Amaal Mallik to other TV legends.
Investigative Entertainment News: Reporting on sensitive industry developments, including legal disputes and personal stories of resilience within the acting community.
Authoritativeness & Trust
With a reputation built on years of networking and credible reporting, Nawaz Kochra is a "known face" in the Mumbai media circuit. His work at The Indian Express adheres to the publication's "Journalism of Courage" standard, ensuring that even entertainment reporting is approached with accuracy, sensitivity, and transparency. His educational background and extensive tenure across diverse media platforms provide him with the authoritative perspective required to analyze the rapid evolution of Indian show business. ... Read More
Rishi Negi on Bigg Boss OTT being scrapped (Photos: Banijay Team, JioHostar / Instagram)