As the Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) show enters its 25th year, the Indian Institute of Human Brands (IIHB) ran a survey to check out who would be the most preferred anchor to take veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan’s place on the millionaire quiz show, ahead of its 16th Season.

The exercise threw up some surprising results as the potential replacements: actor Shahrukh Khan led the survey with 63% respondents voting for the Don actor, followed by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan with 51% votes. Khan, who anchored Season 3 of KBC on Star TV, was the No.1 choice of both male and female respondents. 

Cricketer MS Dhoni polled 37% votes, while sports commentator Harsha Bhogle followed closely behind with a respectable 32%. Veteran actor Anil Kapoor wrapped up the top five ranking, with a modest 15%.

Amongst others who got high single digit percentage of votes were actors Aamir Khan, and Madhuri Dixit, politician Shashi Tharoor and author Chetan Bhagat. 

Akshay Kumar had topped a similar survey by IIHB in 2022 but this year he did not make the top 10. His partner, writer-columnist Twinkle Khanna was also featured in the survey but she too failed to garner much support. 

There was no discernable difference between the voting patterns of both sexes, except in the case of Harsha Bhogle who had a significant male skew. 

Interestingly, ‘Amitabh Bachchan should continue till he can’ was the response of as much as 42% of the respondents surveyed.

Bachchan’s most admired trait as KBC host is his ‘empathy’ – he is not overbearing or intimidating to those in the ‘hot seat’, finds the study.

MS Dhoni has been on a high post his retirement with nearly 40 brands using him as their brand ambassador. Captain Cool’s earthy popularity seems to have spilled over to his choice by 37% respondents as the new KBC host. Very creditable for someone who may have been a great cricket captain but perhaps did not get to finish high school, as per the report. 

Anil Kapoor despite his stature and seniority is placed at No. 5 in the survey. Aamir Khan and Madhuri Dixit were placed next in the rankings. 

The study, conducted in association with Rediffusion’s Red Lab, ran a research last week covering 768 respondents (408 males and 360 females) in the Hindi heartland. 

Dr. Sandeep Goyal, chief mentor of IIHB and chairman, Rediffusion, said, “The fact that politician Shashi Tharoor and novelist Chetan Bhagat have made the Top 10 indicates that the viewing public is happy to look beyond matinee stars as the KBC anchor – it is possible that Mr. Bachchan’s easy-going style has democratised the choice of his successor”.

On 3 July 2025, KBC will complete 25 years. Its host, Bachchan, was 57 years old when he first started anchoring the show. He is now into his 82nd year.  Many were expecting Sony TV, the KBC broadcaster, to transition this year to a new anchor as Bachchan was said to be reducing his workload and had indicated to the channel that they must start looking for his successor, according to the report. But Sony TV couldn’t reportedly narrow in on a replacement, and Big B continued as host this Season of the cash-rich quiz show. But next Season may really necessitate anointment of a new face of KBC.