India, Aug. 13 -- Reality television in India has long been associated with drama, conflict and larger-than-life personalities. But Banijay Asia is increasingly experimenting with formats that put gameplay, strategy and scale at the heart of the viewing experience. From The 50 and Alliance to Rise & Fall, the production house has been exploring newer ways of engaging audiences while retaining the core ingredients that make reality television work.

As Group Chief Development Officer (CDO) at Banijay Asia, Mrinalini Jain has been closely involved in developing some of these formats. In an exclusive conversation with Hindustan Times, she opened up about the thinking behind Alliance, choosing Kunal Kemmu over a conventional reality-show host...