A New Sensation in Indian Reality TV
EXCLUSIVE: A fresh reality TV show is winning the hearts of viewers across India.
The premiere of Rise and Fall, a new take on the Studio Lambert show originally aired on Channel 4 in the UK, produced by Amazon MX Player, has quickly captured a significant audience. In its first week, the show attracted an average of 3.8 million viewers, with numbers soaring to 4.9 million in the second week, as reported by Ormax Media.
During its inaugural week (September 1-7), the program ranked second only to the immensely popular Bigg Boss on JioHotstar, the Indian adaptation of Big Brother, now in its nineteenth season with 7.8 million viewers. Rise and Fall surpassed other major shows like Netflix’s Wednesday Season 2, which had 2.4 million viewers, and The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 3, with 1.7 million viewers, making it the leading original series for that week.
In its second week, Rise and Fall continued to outperform other notable series such as SonyLIV’s Kaun Banega Crorepati (Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire) Season 17, which drew 2.8 million viewers, and maintained its lead over The Great Indian Kapil Show.
MX Player has highlighted that the show has not only drawn viewers but also generated over 500 million views on social media, becoming a significant cultural event in India’s OTT space this year.
Show Format and Popularity
Rise and Fall features 15 celebrities from diverse fields such as Bollywood, music, sports, business, and social media. Over a span of 42 days, these participants are split into two groups; one faces challenges in the basement of a high-rise building, while the other, stationed at the top, controls the game’s proceedings. Contestants are regularly eliminated, and others move between the floors competing for a cash prize. The Indian version is hosted by Ashneer Grover, with Omung Kumar as the set designer. Notable cast members include Noorin Sha, Arbaaz Patel, Aarush Bhola, Aahana Kumra, and others like Aditya Narayan and Arjun Bijlani.
Karan Bedi, Director & Head of Amazon MX Player, stated, “With Rise And Fall, we are transforming the landscape of reality TV in India. We’ve returned to the core of what the audience seeks and savors – a mix of spectacle, strategy, leadership, and emotion. By adapting a global format to reflect Indian sensibilities, we are offering a bold, innovative, and emotionally resonant experience to our viewers.”
The original version of Rise and Fall aired on Channel 4 but was discontinued after one season due to moderate ratings and high expectations paired with substantial production costs. The format, sold internationally by All3Media, is now available for free streaming on Amazon MX Player and is also broadcasted on Sony Entertainment Television in the evenings.
Following the merger with Amazon MiniTV last year, Amazon’s ad-supported streaming service boasts approximately 250 million unique users. It hosts a variety of local productions like Ek Badnaam Aashram, Campus Diaries, and others, alongside internationally acquired series such as My Girlfriend Is An Alien and Demon Slayer, offered in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu under the MX Vdesi vertical.
Daniel Hayes is a business journalist with a focus on market trends, startups, and corporate strategies.
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