GECs
Asianet gets ‘bolder’ with its talk show ‘Nammal Thammil’
MUMBAI: Regional channel Asianet sent shockwaves across Malayalee households when its prestigious talk show Nammal Thammil aired on 13 June exposed lesbian and gay live-in relationships in Kerala. The 10-year old weekly show anchored by Asianet vice president (programmes) Sreekantan Nair will focus on the state’s expanding kidney racket in its next episode on 20 June.
Talking to indiantelevision.com, Nair said the show would come up with bolder themes in the coming weeks. The 13 June’s show had a lesbian and gay couple participating in the debate. Talking about the upcoming kidney racket show, he said a lady who is a victim of the kidney racket would be presented in the show.
Quoting TAM figures, Nair said the show had become one of the top-rated talk shows down South.
“The show’s TRP has gone as high as 13 in total markets, which is remarkable for any talk show,” said Nair.
Nammal Thammil, which had a successful 400 episode-long run covering various subjects, was discontinued last year. According to Nair, the show was taken off because it was getting monotonous and friends advised him to take a break. He said, he didn’t want to kill the show by introducing another anchor as his name had become a part of the show’s identity.
Then Nair anchored another show titled Janakeeya Kodati which conducted mock trials of political leaders and prominent personalties who were in news. Now Janakeeya Kodati is being discontinued and Nair has returned with Nammal Thammil. The show was re-launched on 14 April.
“We discontinued Janakeeya Kodati because we were finding it very difficult to get important personalities for the show and also the female audiences were not liking its political treatment. And there was pressure from the viewers to re-launch Nammal Thammil,” said Nair.
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.
