Bigg Boss Kannada has run continuously since 2013, hosted throughout its entire run by Kiccha Sudeep — a remarkable twelve-season streak that’s unmatched by most other regional editions of the franchise. From its Lonavala origins to its long-running Bengaluru house, here’s the complete winners list across all twelve seasons.
Quick Reference: All Winners
| Season | Year | Winner | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2013 | Vijay Raghavendra | Arun Sagar |
| 2 | 2014 | Akul Balaji | Srujan Lokesh |
| 3 | 2015–16 | Shruthi | Chandan Kumar |
| 4 | 2016–17 | Pratham | Keerthi Kumar |
| 5 | 2017–18 | Chandan Shetty | Diwakar |
| 6 | 2018–19 | Shashi Kumar | Naveen Sajju |
| 7 | 2019–20 | Shine Shetty | Kuri Prathap |
| 8 | 2021 | Manju Pavagada | Aravind KP |
| 9 | 2022 | Roopesh Shetty | Rakesh Adiga |
| 10 | 2023–24 | Karthik Mahesh | Prathap |
| 11 | 2024–25 | Hanumantha | Trivikram |
| 12 | 2025–26 | Gilli Nata | Rakshita Shetty |
About the Show
Bigg Boss Kannada premiered March 24, 2013, on ETV Kannada, hosted by Sudeep from day one and airing from a house in Lonavala for its first two seasons before relocating permanently to Bengaluru from Season 3 onward. The show has moved channels several times — from ETV Kannada to Asianet Suvarna, then to Colors Kannada and Colors Super — but the winner’s prize has remained a consistent ₹50 lakh across most seasons.
Season 1 (2013): Vijay Raghavendra
The debut season ran 99 days from March 24 to June 30, 2013, with 15 contestants and 2 guests housed in Lonavala under 47 cameras. Actor Vijay Raghavendra won with the maximum votes among four finalists, with Arun Sagar as runner-up, Nikita Thukral finishing third, and Narendra Babu fourth.
Season 2 (2014): Akul Balaji
Season 2 moved to Asianet Suvarna, running June 29 to October 5, 2014, over 98 days with 15 housemates. Akul Balaji claimed the title, with actor Srujan Lokesh finishing as runner-up.
Season 3 (2015–16): Shruthi
Season 3 marked the show’s permanent move to Bengaluru and its shift to Colors Kannada, running October 25, 2015, to January 31, 2016, across 98 days with 18 contestants. Actress Shruthi won the title, with Chandan Kumar as runner-up, and Master Anand, Rehman Haseeb, and Pooja Gandhi rounding out the top five.
Season 4 (2016–17): Pratham
Season 4 ran October 9, 2016, to January 29, 2017, extended to 112–113 days from the usual 98-day format, with its final two weeks airing exclusively on Colors Super. Pratham won with the highest public vote share among five finalists, ahead of Keerthi Kumar, Rekha, Malavika Avinash, and Mohan Shankar.
Season 5 (2017–18): Chandan Shetty
Season 5 introduced a major format shift — the first season to allow non-celebrity (“commoner”) contestants via open online auditions — running October 15, 2017, to January 28, 2018, across 105 days with 20 housemates in a newly renovated house at Innovative Film City, Bidadi. Rapper Chandan Shetty won the ₹50 lakh prize, with sales representative Diwakar finishing as runner-up.
Season 6 (2018–19): Shashi Kumar
Season 6 ran October 21, 2018, to January 27, 2019, over 100 days with 20 contestants, and notably featured the show’s first transgender contestant. Agriculturist Shashi Kumar won the title, with Naveen Sajju as first runner-up.
Season 7 (2019–20): Shine Shetty
Season 7 ran October 13, 2019, to February 2, 2020, across 112 days with 20 housemates. Shine Shetty won based on viewer votes, with Kuri Prathap finishing as runner-up.
Season 8 (2021): Manju Pavagada
Season 8 ran February 28 to August 8, 2021 — one of the franchise’s longest seasons at 120 days, likely extended due to pandemic-era scheduling — with 20 contestants. Manju Pavagada won the title, with Aravind KP as runner-up and Vaishnavi finishing third.
Season 9 (2022): Roopesh Shetty
Season 9 ran September 24 to December 31, 2022, over 99 days with 18 housemates. Roopesh Shetty won the season, with Rakesh Adiga as runner-up.
Season 10 (2023–24): Karthik Mahesh
Season 10 ran October 8, 2023, to January 28, 2024, across 112 days with 21 contestants, notably introducing a top-six grand finale format where one finalist was eliminated the day before the ultimate result. Actor and model Karthik Mahesh won the title, with Prathap as runner-up and Sangeetha Sringeri as second runner-up.
Season 11 (2024–25): Hanumantha
Season 11 ran September 29, 2024, to January 26, 2025, over 120 days with 20 housemates. Hanumantha Lamani won the season, with Trivikram finishing as runner-up.
Season 12 (2025–26): Gilli Nata
The most recent season ran September 28, 2025, to January 18, 2026, across 112 days with a larger 24-housemate cast, and introduced a new premiere-night format pitting solo (“onti”) and duo (“janti”) entrants against each other. The season was briefly suspended on October 8, 2025, due to environmental issues before resuming the next day. Gilli Nata (Nataraj) won the title, known for balancing humor, sharp gameplay, and strong alliances throughout his run, with Rakshita Shetty as runner-up and Ashwini Gowda finishing third.
Final Thoughts
Across twelve seasons and more than a decade, Bigg Boss Kannada has stayed remarkably consistent under Sudeep’s hosting, while steadily evolving its format — from celebrity-only casts to a mix of commoners and celebrities, and from a 98-day standard run to increasingly extended seasons. With Season 12 having just concluded, the franchise remains one of Kannada television’s most durable reality formats.