Archive · 28 Aug 2026
How Amitabh Bachchan’s KBC Gamble Became a TV Legacy
Kaun Banega Crorepati is a television quiz show hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.
It began in India in July 2000.
The show was based on a British program called Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.
Before it started, some people thought choosing a movie star as host was a bad idea.
They also worried because the show cost much more than other programs.
Sameer Nair said Bachchan spoke Hindi and English especially well.
He also believed mothers at home liked Bachchan and would watch him.
The show soon became very successful and turned into a long-running television legacy.
Kaun Banega Crorepati launched in July 2000 and quickly became an instant success.
The Indian quiz show was adapted from the British program Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.
Former Star Plus programming head Sameer Nair called the project a huge gamble and said it cost ten times more than other shows.
Some people questioned casting Amitabh Bachchan because the original program was not hosted by a film celebrity.
Nair defended Bachchan as the actor best suited to connect with Hindi- and English-speaking audiences and mothers at home.
- Who
- Amitabh Bachchan hosted Kaun Banega Crorepati; Sameer Nair discussed the show’s development and launch.
- What
- Kaun Banega Crorepati was an Indian adaptation of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire that was initially viewed as a risky television project.
- When
- The show launched in July 2000 and is currently in its 18th season, according to one article.
- Where
- It initially aired on Star Plus and later moved to Sony in 2010.
- Why
- Nair said Bachchan’s Hindi-English proficiency and popularity with mothers made him the right host, despite skepticism about using a film celebrity.
Supporters of the gamble
Skeptics of the gamble
Choosing Amitabh Bachchan
Supporters of the gamble
Sameer Nair said Bachchan was the only actor with the necessary proficiency in both Hindi and English, and that mothers viewed him as a beloved hero.
Skeptics of the gamble
The choice attracted skepticism because the British original was not hosted by a film celebrity.
The show’s cost
Supporters of the gamble
Supporters could point to KBC’s instant success after launch as evidence that the large investment worked.
Skeptics of the gamble
Before launch, the show was considered a major gamble because Nair said it cost ten times more than other shows at the time.
Audience appeal
Supporters of the gamble
Nair believed Bachchan’s popularity with mothers would help the program reach homes where mothers controlled the remote.
Skeptics of the gamble
Nair contrasted Bachchan’s appeal with Shah Rukh Khan, whom he said catered more to a younger generation.
- Show
- Kaun Banega Crorepati
- Host
- Amitabh Bachchan
- Launch
- July 2000
- Original format
- Who Wants To Be A Millionaire
- Initial broadcaster
- Star Plus
- Later broadcaster
- Sony, from 2010
- Reported cost
- Ten times more expensive than other shows at the time, according to Sameer Nair
- Current status
- The show is currently in its 18th season, according to one article
