Reality entertainment is emerging as a key growth engine for India’s media and entertainment industry, driving audience engagement, brand partnerships and new content formats across television and digital platforms. At FICCI Frames on Thursday, industry leaders discussed how the genre is evolving to stay relevant to changing viewer preferences while expanding its reach across languages, geographies and formats.
Jain pointed out that reality TV’s strength lies in its ability to turn unexpected moments into conversations that can go well beyond the screen, making their way into social media conversations, reels and more. “In the last year alone, over 40 reality TV shows were released in genres such as drama, comedy, love, music and strategy across TV and digital. At JioStar, our reality content has engaged 1 billion Indians in the last year, nearly a third of the country’s population,” said Jain. JioStar also worked with over 1,000 brands for its reality content from 2022 to 2026.
He added that shows such as Bigg Boss and Roadies have already been around for two decades, demonstrating that reality content continues to stay relevant across age groups and generations.
In the panel discussion that followed, Deepak Dhar, founder & group CEO, Banijay Asia & Endemol Shine India, noted that despite the enduring nature of these shows and formats, there is a constant need to reinvent them while also retaining the attributes that have kept them relevant for years. “Audiences have changed in the last two years and these shows need to be more fast-paced with strong story-led hooks that keep viewers glued,” he said.
His co-panellist, Ekta Kapoor, founder & joint managing director, Balaji Telefilms Ltd, noted that it is difficult for viewers to go back to scripted content once they have tasted reality entertainment. The real competition for reality shows today is social media, argued Kapoor. “To take on social media reels and short-video content, reality shows need to be provocative and add shock value. That’s what keeps viewers hooked,” she noted.
Nikul Desai, founder & producer, Eevaan Films and Story Weaver Collective, highlighted the potential of reality content in specific languages and geographies. His show, Bhojpuri Bawaal, is the country’s first Bhojpuri reality show, available on JioHotstar and Colors TV. Desai noted that, though there was some degree of risk in creating and streaming the show, it has seen a good response in regions such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Vipul Shah, founding chairman & managing director, Optimystix Entertainment, emphasised the potential that other genres such as comedy hold in the reality entertainment space. His show Laughter Chefs brings together food and humour, offering viewers a way to de-stress while creating content for social media memes and viral trends. He highlighted the need to get casting right to ensure reality content resonates with audiences authentically.
Kapoor also argued that content is not being cannibalised by new formats, but that consumption of content is growing faster than ever. “Audiences are not sticking with just one form of entertainment but are consuming a variety of genres from reality to micro dramas and even scripted,” she added.
The panellists noted that it is only a matter of time before Indian reality content makes its way into new markets and reaches global audiences with authentic and culturally rooted content. “Soon, Indian reality shows will also become popular internationally like Korean and Turkish entertainment,” said Dhar.