Ace comedian, angel investor, and YouTube star Tanmay Bhat has announced a major expansion to his content empire, revealing a new talent hunt series titled “Kaun Banega OG.”
Bhat dropped the news during his year-end special, “Best Memes of 2025,” confirming that the new show will premiere in January. The series aims to discover fresh comedic talent to join his rotating panel of reactors, popularly known as the “OG Gang.”
The move signals a shift from a closed group of friends to an open-audition format, effectively democratizing access to one of the most coveted spots in the Indian creator economy.
“Next year we are gonna do many special things,” Bhat said in the video. “For starters, we are gonna have a new show called Kaun Banega OG where I will watch memes with new comedians… and you guys will tell us who should make it to the OG gang.“
‘Kaun Banega OG’ New Show
The new IP will feature Tanmay Bhat watching memes with aspiring and upcoming comedians, a format that has become his signature style over the last five years. However, unlike his standard videos, the audience will hold the power.
Viewers will vote or comment to decide which guest brings the best chemistry and humour, eventually earning a permanent spot in the crew.
This announcement comes as the “OG Gang” celebrates its fifth anniversary. Originally formed out of necessity during the pandemic lockdowns, the group — including core members like Rohan Joshi, Nishant Tanwar, and breakout stars like Piyush Sharma — has become a staple of Indian pop culture.
For aspiring creators, a spot on Bhat’s channel is a career-defining accelerator. The channel, which boasts millions of subscribers and averages massive viewership per video, serves as a launchpad.
Previous recurring guests have seen their personal brand equity and social media followings skyrocket solely through their association with these reaction videos.
From Creator to Platform Provider
Bhat’s pivot to a talent-hunt format underscores a broader trend in the creator economy: top-tier creators are becoming platforms themselves.
By launching Kaun Banega OG, Bhat is not just creating content; he is building a pipeline for talent acquisition, ensuring his channel remains fresh while providing a stage for the next generation of comics.
The “OG Gang” model relies heavily on unscripted banter and chemistry. By crowd-sourcing the selection process, Bhat is leveraging his massive community (the “Bot Army”) to vet talent, reducing the risk of bringing on a personality that doesn’t resonate with his core demographic.
The series is set to begin in January 2026, with some episodes already recorded.
