GECs
Sahara TV banks on earlier Shekhar Suman show to woo audiences
Times are tough in television these days with the advertising pie shrinking. And channels are resorting to the tack of running older shows. Star, Zee, Sabe, DD have all done it. Can Sahara TV be far behind?
Not really. Following the lead of other satellite channels which have started repeat telecasts of successful shows, Sahara TV has started airing Wilayattee Babu from 5 November.
An episodic sitcom series, Wilayattee Babu’s star cast includes Shekhar Suman, Sudhir Pandey, Rakesh Bedi, Farha, Divya Seth, Seema Kapoor, Navneet Nishan, Bharat Kapoor, Bhavna Balsavar and Yunus Parvez. Each episode aims at hilariously highlighting the differences between the Asia and the West, and the storyline revolves around an NRI’s antics on coming home to India.
Produced by Future Communications and directed by Raju Parsekar, Wilayattee Babu was earlier aired on terrestrial channel Doordarshan.
Says Sahara vice-president communications Priya Raj : “Satellite channels have a different and better reach than a terrestrial channel and we hope to get a better response. This was a weekly show earlier but now it is being aired as a daily at 7.30 pm Mondays to Fridays. Within the next two to three weeks, we should know viewers’ response and ratings. Currently, we have feedback that the show is getting a good response, that there is good awareness about it.”
The show presently has two associate sponsors in All Out and MDH Masala, and is on the lookout for additional advertisers and sponsors.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
