Television’s biggest quiz show is about to get a mythological twist. Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Ravie Dubey, the lead trio of Nitesh Tiwari’s much awaited epic Ramayana, will join Amitabh Bachchan on Kaun Banega Crorepati 18 for a special Diwali episode, and the first promo, released on October 24, has already set social media buzzing.
The promo, shared by Sony LIV, shows the three actors walking onto the familiar KBC stage, taking their seats opposite Bachchan and settling into easy, festive conversation. It is a meeting of two very different worlds: India’s most loved quiz show and its most ambitious film of the decade, coming together just days before Diwali.
The special episodes will air on October 29 and 30 at 9 pm on Sony Entertainment Television, and will also stream on SonyLIV. Sony LIV’s caption for the promo says it plainly: “Diwali special with the cast of Ramayana! Dekhiye Kaun Banega Crorepati, 29th-30th October, Thurs-Fri raat 9 baje, sirf Sony Entertainment Television aur Sony LIV par.”
A Diwali promo full of nostalgia
The most talked about moment in the promo is a simple question. Ranbir asks Bachchan whether he has any particular memory of celebrating Diwali as a child. Bachchan, smiling, recalls the friendly rivalry that came with bursting crackers in his neighbourhood.
“Sir, Diwali ki keval yahi yaad rehti thi, ki agar bagal wale ke yahan bomb phata hai, toh hamara bomb usse zyada tez hona chahiye,” he says, remembering how the crackers at his house had to be louder than the neighbours’. The line has landed instantly with viewers, many of whom say it sums up the Diwali of their own childhoods.
The exchange sets the tone for what the episodes promise: less of a formal film promotion, more of a relaxed festive evening, with stories, laughter and a few surprises from the quiz format itself.
Why this appearance matters for Ramayana
Ramayana is scheduled for a worldwide release on November 5, coinciding with Diwali. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the two-part epic has been built up through posters, songs and trailers that have kept it in constant conversation for months.
On KBC, the cast gets something a trailer cannot give: time. Ranbir plays Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi plays Sita and Ravie Dubey plays Lakshman, and the show gives them a stage to talk about stepping into roles that carry enormous cultural weight, in front of a host who has himself played some of Indian cinema’s most iconic characters.
The appearance also reunites Ranbir and Bachchan on screen. The two last worked together in Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra: Part One, Shiva, released in 2022, in which Ranbir played Shiva and Bachchan played Guru. Their comfort with each other is visible in the promo, and it is one more reason fans are looking forward to the episodes.
The film behind the festive visit
Ramayana is produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in association with DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations. Shridhar Raghavan has adapted the screenplay from Valmiki’s epic, and the music is composed by Oscar winning composers Hans Zimmer and A R Rahman.
Beyond the lead trio, the film features a large ensemble cast, including Yash as Ravana, along with Arun Govil, Lara Dutta, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor, Kajal Aggarwal, Saurabh Sachdeva and Faisal Malik.
That scale is part of why the KBC visit has drawn so much attention. A film of this size rarely gets a quiet promotional run, and a Diwali week appearance on India’s longest running quiz show is about as mainstream as promotion gets.
What to watch for on October 29 and 30
- The promo moment: Bachchan’s childhood Diwali story, which is already being shared widely from the promo itself.
- The cast’s conversation: Ranbir, Sai Pallavi and Ravie Dubey talking about playing Rama, Sita and Lakshman, and about the making of the epic.
- The quiz element: Whether the actors take on the hot seat themselves, and how they handle Bachchan’s questions.
- The timing: Two episodes across October 29 and 30, at 9 pm, just days before the film’s November 5 release.
For viewers, the appeal is straightforward. KBC has always worked best when its guests are relaxed and candid, and a festive episode with a cast carrying one of the year’s biggest releases fits that format neatly.
FAQs
When will the Ramayana cast appear on KBC 18?
The special Diwali episodes air on October 29 and 30, 2026, at 9 pm.
Where can I watch the KBC 18 Diwali special?
On Sony Entertainment Television, with streaming on SonyLIV.
Who plays Rama, Sita and Lakshman in Ramayana?
Ranbir Kapoor plays Rama, Sai Pallavi plays Sita and Ravie Dubey plays Lakshman.
When does Ramayana release?
The film is scheduled for a worldwide release on November 5, coinciding with Diwali.
Who directed Ramayana?
Nitesh Tiwari directed the film, with music by Hans Zimmer and A R Rahman.
With the promo out and the air dates confirmed, the countdown to both the KBC special and the film itself has properly begun. For now, one Diwali memory from Bachchan’s childhood has done what the best promos do: it has given everyone something to talk about until the episodes air.
