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Updated 20 October 2026: celebrity guest table, birthday week episodes, new rules and the reported Ranbir Kapoor–Sai Pallavi episode added.
Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 18 is on air now, with Amitabh Bachchan back as host. The season began on Monday, 10 August 2026, on Sony Entertainment Television and streams on Sony LIV, with new episodes on weekdays at 9 PM. Next up on the celebrity side: Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi were reported to be shooting an episode to promote Ramayana, and the air date has not been announced yet.
KBC 18 quick facts
- Show: Kaun Banega Crorepati, Season 18
- Host: Amitabh Bachchan
- Premiere: Monday, 10 August 2026 (aired)
- Timing: Monday to Friday, 9 PM IST
- TV channel: Sony Entertainment Television (SET)
- Streaming: Sony LIV
- Theme: "Sochna Padega" – questions built around thinking, not just remembering
- First guests: Aamir Khan, Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta
- Next reported guests: Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi (air date not announced)
Where and when to watch KBC 18
New episodes air Monday to Friday at 9 PM on Sony Entertainment Television, as Sony announced before the premiere and as Esquire India and Deccan Chronicle reported. Episodes also stream on Sony LIV, where you can catch up on anything you missed.
If you follow Sony's channels on TV, you can find the SET listings on our SET HD and SET SD channel pages, along with the rest of our live TV channel guide. NoWireTV is not connected with Sony or the show.
Celebrity guest episodes so far
KBC mixes regular contestants with star guests, who usually play for charity while promoting a new film. These are the celebrity episodes reported by more than one outlet so far. Where the exact air date was not reported, we say so.
| Date | Guests | Why they came |
|---|---|---|
| 10 August 2026 (premiere, aired) | Aamir Khan, Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta | Promoting Batwara 1947; Sunny Deol's first time in the hot seat |
| August 2026 (aired; exact date not reported) | Sunidhi Chauhan and Prasoon Joshi | Special episode; Sunidhi called it a "full circle" moment |
| Early September 2026 (aired) | Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan | Promoting Haiwaan, released 11 September |
| Birthday week, October 2026 | Ayushmann Khurrana, with Sara Ali Khan | Promoting Udta Teer; Ayushmann sang "Kabhi Kabhie" for Big B |
| 9 October 2026 (birthday special) | Madhuri Dixit | Amitabh Bachchan's birthday celebration; she performed a Devdas piece |
| Not announced (reported) | Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi | Promoting Ramayana, reported for 5 November release |
The premiere: Aamir, Sunny and Preity
The season opened with the Batwara 1947 team. IANS reported that Amitabh Bachchan asked Sunny Deol why it had taken him so long to come on the show, and Sunny admitted he had been nervous about it. Aamir Khan teased Bachchan about the "Sochna Padega" theme, and Bachchan answered that it would not be easy. The film, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Aamir Khan Productions, released on 14 August, four days after the episode.
Birthday week special
Amitabh Bachchan turned 84 on 11 October, and Sony ran a birthday week of special episodes in the run-up. The highlights reported so far:
- Madhuri Dixit came on for the birthday special and, at Bachchan's request, performed a piece from Devdas. LatestLY gave the air date as Friday, 9 October.
- Ayushmann Khurrana sang "Kabhi Kabhie Mere Dil Mein" for Bachchan in a promo, while promoting Udta Teer with Sara Ali Khan, according to India TV.
What's new this season
The "Sochna Padega" theme is more than a slogan. Sony's pitch is that answers are a phone search away, so the questions now lean on reasoning and elimination rather than straight recall. The main rule changes, as described by IWMBuzz's premiere review and the show's Wikipedia entry:
- Only two lifelines at the start: Audience Poll and Sanket Suchak, a hint lifeline. The other two have to be earned on the way up.
- Maha Flip: unlocked after the first threshold of Rs 25,000, it lets a contestant look at two questions and pick the one they are more confident about.
- Super Sandook: at the Rs 5 lakh safe level, a rapid-fire round. A contestant who clears it chooses between a cash bonus and unlocking the 50:50 lifeline.
- Google Gemini: Google India is a partner this season, and the hints in Sanket Suchak are described as powered by Gemini.
- Hot seat qualifier: Wikipedia and some fan and blog coverage say Fastest Finger First has been replaced by a buzzer round, Fastest Buzzer First, but we have not seen this reported by a major outlet.
Special weeks and big winners
The birthday week in October is the only themed week we have found reported this season. We have not found reports of a Tournament Week or a junior/student week so far. We will add them here if Sony announces one.
As for big winners, we have not found two independent reports of a Rs 1 crore winner in Season 18 so far. We will list winners here once more than one outlet confirms them.
How to register for KBC
Registration for Season 18 is closed. According to Sony LIV's official FAQ and Filmibeat, the first round opened on 9 March 2026 and ran until 27 March. Each day Amitabh Bachchan asked a question on SET at 9 PM, and viewers answered through the Sony LIV app or WhatsApp.
KBC never asks for payment to register or to take part. Treat any call or message offering a "lottery" win or a seat on the show for a fee as a scam.
What's coming next
- Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi (reported): Telangana Today and NewsBytes reported that the Ramayana leads would shoot a KBC episode on Saturday, 17 October. Sony has not announced the air date.
- End date: not announced. Season 17 ran from August 2025 into January 2026.
KBC seasons at a glance
Kaun Banega Crorepati is the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. It started in July 2000 on Star Plus, which aired the first three seasons. Amitabh Bachchan has hosted every season except the third, which Shah Rukh Khan hosted. The show moved to Sony Entertainment Television with Season 4 and has stayed there since.
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Frequently asked questions
Who is the next celebrity guest on KBC 18?
Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi were reported to be shooting a KBC 18 episode on 17 October 2026 to promote Ramayana. Sony has not announced when it airs.
When did KBC 18 start and what is the timing?
Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 18 premiered on Monday, 10 August 2026. New episodes air Monday to Friday at 9 PM on Sony Entertainment Television.
Where can I watch Kaun Banega Crorepati 18 online?
The show streams on Sony LIV, alongside its TV broadcast on Sony Entertainment Television.
Who were the guests on the KBC 18 premiere?
Aamir Khan, Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta opened the season while promoting their film Batwara 1947. It was Sunny Deol's first time in the hot seat.
What are the new rules in KBC 18?
Contestants start with only two lifelines, Audience Poll and Sanket Suchak, and earn the others by playing: Maha Flip after Rs 25,000, and 50:50 through the Super Sandook round. Hints are linked to Google Gemini, the season's partner.
Can I still register for KBC 18?
No. Registration ran on the Sony LIV app and WhatsApp in March 2026, with later rounds described in Sony's FAQ. KBC never charges a fee to take part.
