Bigg Boss to Shark Tank India: 9 popular Indian reality shows inspired by foreign counterparts

The Indian television industry has a plethora of reality shows. But most of them are an Indian version of foreign shows that have been moulded according to the audience. Check out the list here.

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Do you get bored of watching daily soaps and the similar storylines being followed by them? In such a case, the best option is to switch to reality shows. Such content has brought a revolution in the television industry, letting people explore different concepts. In fact, many popular reality shows enjoy a huge loyal fan base and have been running for years.

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But not every reality show that landed on the television screens managed to be successful. While a few did not grab the expected attention, many turned out to be the best. But do you know that these reality shows that we enjoy are either inspired by or adapted from foreign shows? Therefore, it wouldn't be a wrong statement to call them an indigenous version of the original ones.

Be it Shark Tank India or Bigg Boss, these contents have proved to be a super hit but are ripped off of the popular foreign shows. So, here are 8 such Indian reality shows that are broadcast and created for Indian viewers. 

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1. Kaun Banega Crorepati

Upon listening to this name, the first thing that comes to our mind is the iconic style of Amitabh Bachchan hosting this quiz show. But do you know it is based on an international television game show named Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Many a time, KBC is referred to as the official Hindi adaptation of the above-mentioned franchise. It has been since 2000 that Kaun Banega Crorepati has been a popular reality show among the Indian audience.

2. Bigg Boss

Hosted by Dabangg superstar Salman Khan, it requires no introduction as the popularity is enough to describe its craze among the viewers. Filled with never-ending drama and tons of verbal spats, Bigg Boss is the Indian adaptation of the Dutch show Big Brother. Originally, the former was launched in Hindi language but now has been extended to several languages, including Tamil and Telugu.

3: Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 

Definitely a star-studded show! It is one of those Indian reality shows that creates headlines owing to the stupendous performances of celeb participants. They pair up with choreographers and compete against each other. But Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa isn't purely an Indian concept. Its format is taken from shows Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing With The Stars.

4: India's Got Talent

When a pure entertainment channel decided to come up with a Hindi version of the Got Talent franchise, the audience received a gift in the form of India's Got Talent. With a changing slate of judges, it is meant for prodigy people to perform their skills and showcase talent on national television. 

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5: Khatron Ke Khiladi

Exposing contestants to dangerous stuns for confronting individual fears is the prime motive of Khatron Ke Khiladi. The concept is quite popular, thereby making it one of the most interesting reality shows. Launched in 2008, it is based on the American series Fear Factor. Further, it had been hosted by a couple of well-established names, viz. Akshay Kumar, Priyanka Chopra, Arjun Kapoor, and Rohit Shetty.

6: Shark Tank India

Falling in the genre of business reality show, Shark Tank India is officially an Indian franchise of the American show Shark Tank. It provides a platform for entrepreneurs who pitch their business ideas and presentations to a panel of investors also known as sharks. Lastly, they decide whether to offer investment in their startup company. 

7: Indian Idol

A platform for aspiring singers to showcase their talent! Started in 2004, the popular reality show Indian Idol Is based on a format similar to that of the British music competition television series Pop Idol. Well, the original show has several spinoffs, such as Canadian Idol, American Idol, Indonesian Idol, etc.

8: Temptation Island India

With Karan Kundrra and Mouni Roy as hosts, Temptation Island India is a one-of-a-kind dating reality game show that premiered on Jio Cinema. The show puts relationships to the test and lets the participating couples live with groups of singles of the opposite gender. Although the Indian audience might find it a different concept originally it is based on an American reality television dating game show named Temptation Island. The Indian version debuted this year, wherein Elvish Yadav and Abhishek Malhan made special appearances.

9: Comedy Nights With Kapil

Not many of us know that the popular comedy and chart show titled Comedy Nights with Kapil is an Indianized version of the Emmy award-winning British show The Kumars at No. 42. Be it the nagging wife or lustful granny, the characters have been copied from its western counterpart. However, this does not change the fact that Comedy Nights with Kapil was indeed molded according to the Indian viewers.
 

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So, these are some Indian reality shows that have taken their core idea from international shows of different genres. Be it a music competition or a startup reality show, they are always interesting and gripping to watch. Let us know if you are aware of any other such series!

Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more.

About The Author

With a bachelor's degree in mass communication, Garima works as a content writer for the TV section at

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