Banijay to Invest $50 Million in India’s Most Expensive Reality Series

Banijay Asia is set to invest $50 million (approximately ₹400 crore) in a groundbreaking reality series tentatively titled "Race to Space," marking it as the most expensive show ever produced in India. This significant investment will cover licensing fees to the US-based Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA), along with production and talent costs.

The series is a collaboration between Banijay and SERA, and it aims to bring a unique space-themed reality show to Indian audiences. Joshua Skurla, co-founder of SERA, expressed optimism about the series' success in India, referencing the high interest in space exploration demonstrated by the livestreaming of Chandrayaan-3's lunar landing last year. “India is the first market where we are producing such a series, with similar projects in development for other markets,” Skurla noted.

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Deepak Dhar, CEO of Banijay Asia, emphasized that the project is not merely a reality show or documentary but a comprehensive multimedia event that spans across platforms, including live and space components. “This is set to revolutionize competitive reality television and reignite interest in space exploration,” Dhar added.

Currently, the most expensive non-fiction formats in India include Bigg Boss Hindi, hosted by Salman Khan, and Kaun Banega Crorepati, hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, both with budgets exceeding ₹150 crore. The new series, however, will surpass these benchmarks significantly.

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"Race to Space" will follow the emotional journey of shortlisted participants as they tackle various challenges to become one of the first Indian citizens to travel to space aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard reusable suborbital rocket. The selected astronauts will experience an 11-minute journey past the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. Production will take place both in India and at the Huntsville Space Centre in Alabama.

[Disclaimer: The details provided in this blog are based on current developments and may be subject to change. The actual production and show content may differ from the descriptions provided.]