Kaun Banega Crorepati: Contestants landing up in legal and financial troubles to FIR being lodged against Amitabh Bachchan; times when the show made headlines

One of the contestants of Kaun Banega Crorepati season 13, who is a railways employee, landed in legal trouble after he appeared on the show without getting a leave sanctioned from his office. However, this is not the first time that the show, its host or contestant has made way to headlines due to some expected as well as unexpected reasons. Here’s a list of all such moments:

Office superintendent of the local procurement section of Kota Railway Division of Rajasthan, Desh Bandhu Pandey has landed up in legal trouble for participating in KBC13. He has not only been handed over the charge sheet but his increment has also been banned for the next 3 years. The KBC 13 contestant has been accused of being absent from office without getting his leaves sanctioned. During his game in the show, Desh Bandhu took home prize money of Rs 3,20,000.

Ayurveda doctor Deepa Sharma, who died in the recent landslide in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, was a contestant of the 7th season of the show. Her relation to the show came to light when people mourned the demise of people who lost their lives in the landslide. Pictures from her stint in the show went viral post her death and grabbed everyone’s attention. Reportedly, Deepa won Rs. 6,40,000 on the show.

It was during season 12 of the show that host Amitabh Bachchan got caught in a controversy because of a question asked in the quiz. A question based on Manusmriti made many viewers question the makers and filed an FIR 'hurting Hindu sentiments' and promoting 'leftists propaganda'.

Sushil Kumar, who won Rs 5 crore in the fifth season of the show went bankrupt after he failed to invest his money wisely. The contestant, who became a local celebrity in Bihar, opened about his bankruptcy in a long note on Facebook. He called it the worst phase and the most challenging part of his life. In his note, Sushil Kumar called his bankruptcy ‘filmy’ and also talked about his marriage hitting a rough patch. Sushil also got addicted to alcohol at that time.

It was in 2019 that many viewers took offence to a question wherein Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was not given due respect. The question “Which of these rulers was the contemporary of Mughal emperor Aurangazeb?” had 4 options. While the other options were respectfully mentioned with full names, the Maratha clan ruler’s name was mentioned just as ‘Shivaji’. Netizens trended Boycott Kaun Banega Crorepati and also demanded an apology from the makers for the same.

Fatima Khatoon, a contestant of the 8th season of Kaun Banega Crorepati received death threat for fighting against human trafficking in Bihar. The contestant, who won Rs 25 lakh on the show, received multiple threats from an unidentified man. Moreover, during her play in the show, it was revealed that Fatima was trafficked at the age of 9 for marriage and was later forced into prostitution. She risked her life, ran out of the red-light area and launched an anti-trafficking campaign soon after.