Kon Honaar Crorepati 2019 Frequently Asked Questions

General Overview

Q: What is Kon Honaar Crorepati?

Kon Honaar Crorepati (KHC) is the Hindi-language version of the global quiz show format Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? It premiered on Sony TV in 2010 and quickly became one of Indias most beloved quiz shows. The 2019 season marked the eighth edition of the program.

Q: When did the 2019 season air?

The 2019 season began on 12 March 2019 and concluded on 8 June 2019, spanning a total of 20 episodes.

Q: Who hosted the 2019 edition?

The legendary Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan returned as the host for the 2019 season, continuing his longstanding association with the show.

Q: What was the top prize?

The grand prize remained Rs. 1 crore (10 million rupees). A few contestants also walked away with allIndia 50lakh and 25lakh prizes.

Eligibility & Registration

Who could apply for the 2019 season?

Any Indian citizen aged 18 years or older, residing in India, could apply. Applicants needed a valid Aadhar card and a PAN card for verification.

How did contestants register?

There were three ways to register:

Online through the official Sony LIV portal using a unique registration ID.
Via SMS by sending KHC2019 to 56789 (one registration per phone number).
Through the mobile app KHC 2019 available on Android and iOS.

Was there an entry fee?

No. Registration was completely free of charge.

Audition Process

What were the stages of selection?

The selection comprised four stages:

Online Test: 20 multiplechoice questions (MCQs) on general knowledge, science, sports, history, and entertainment.
Telephonic Interview: Winners of the online test were contacted for a short interview.
RapidFire Round: Conducted at regional audition centers; candidates answered 10 rapid questions in 60 seconds.
FacetoFace Audition: The final 50 candidates were invited to the studio for a full mockgame.

Where were the regional audition centers?

Auditions were held in six major cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru.

How many contestants made it to the televised episodes?

A total of 40 contestants were featured across the season, each appearing in a singleepisode playalong format.

Game Rules & Lifelines

What were the prize tiers?

The prize ladder was identical to previous seasons:

1,000 Question 1
2,000 Question 2
5,000 Question 3
10,000 Question 4 (first safety net)
20,000 Question 5
40,000 Question 6
80,000 Question 7
1,60,000 Question 8
3,20,000 Question 9
6,40,000 Question 10 (second safety net)
12,50,000 Question 11
25,00,000 Question 12
50,00,000 Question 13
1,00,00,000 Question 14 (final)

Which lifelines were available?

Three lifelines could be used once each:

Audience Poll: The studio audience votes electronically; percentages are displayed.
50:50: Two wrong options are removed, leaving one correct and one incorrect answer.
Phone a Friend: Contestants could call a preselected contact for 30 seconds.

Could a contestant walk away?

Yes. After hearing a question, the contestant could choose to stop and keep the amount secured at the last safety net.

Highlights of 2019

Who won the grand prize?

Ankit Sharma, a 28yearold software engineer from Pune, became the sole crorepati of the season by correctly answering all 14 questions.

What was the most difficult question?

The final question (1 crore) asked: Which Indian scientist was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930? The correct answer was Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman. (Note: In reality the Nobel was awarded in 1930 to Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman for the Raman Effect.)

Any memorable moments?

- Amitabh Bachchans emotional reaction when a contestant used Phone a Friend to call his mother.
- A 15second technical glitch during a live audience poll that was later resolved without affecting the outcome.
- A contestant correctly answering a question about the 2018 FIFA World Cup while the tournament was still ongoing.

Technical & Viewing Information

Where could I watch the episodes?

Episodes aired on Sony TV (Saturday 8pm) and were simultaneously livestreamed on Sony LIV. Full episodes later became available on the Sony LIV archive.

Was there a mobile app?

Yes. The KHC 2019 app offered live quizzes, contestant bios, and the ability to play along with the show in real time.

Can I replay a specific episode?

Through Sony LIVs My List feature you could bookmark any episode and watch it on-demand.

Is the show available internationally?

Sony TVs international feed carried selected episodes for the Indian diaspora. Additionally, the show could be streamed via Sony LIV in countries where the service is licensed.