GECs
Adlabs likely to pick up stake in a TV production house
MUMBAI: Adlabs Films Ltd is in talks with a television content production company to acquire a controlling stake. If the deal sails through, Adlabs will be able to make an entry into TV production.
“We are in negotiations not for a total buyout but a majority stake,” says Adlabs Films chairman and managing director Manmohan Shetty.
He, however, did not disclose the name of the company. “All that I can say is that it is not a listed company and produces 3-4 shows with a good balance sheet,” says Shetty.
Though Adlabs has been funding a few TV content companies, it has never directly been engaged in the business. One among the companies it has financed is Pankaj Parashar’s Mazaa Films, the creator of the popular TV serial Karam Chand.
“We have been funding some TV content production companies for some specific programmes, even in the past. We have acted like debt providers. We have, however, not been very aggressive. Even now we would not like to focus on TV content in a more aggressive manner, either on our own or as co-productions,” says Shetty.
The TV content business will function as a division of Adlabs. “At present all activities of TV content are functioning as a division of Adlabs. We will see how it grows,” says Shetty.
Adlabs, meanwhile, has put on the backburner its plans to enter the home video segment. The talks for acquiring stake in Mumbai-based Excel Home Videos have been called off. “The deal didn’t happen. We will enter the home video segment on our own once the distribution network is in place. The project is now relegated to the backburner,” says Shetty.
Will Adlabs take the acquisition route like Inox to ramp up its multiplex business? “We are aggressively expanding exhibition screens on our own,” says Shetty.
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.
