GECs
Bahl’s SAW to launch on Zee bouquet in UK
MUMBAI: Raghav Bahls international venture South Asia World (SAW), which has been looking at the UK space for a while now, has signed a distribution pact with Zee Telefilms.
SAW would be bundled and distributed with the Zee channels. The infotainment channel, which made its debut in the US last year, is now looking at charting a new route in the UK market around May.
According to broadcasting industry sources, a memorandum of understanding with regard to distribution pact has already been signed with Zee Telefilms. However, as of now, other financial details of the deal are not available.
SAW will be the fifth pay channel in the Zee bouquet on the Rupert Murdoch-controlled BskyB digital platform.
In the Zee platter on the BskyB platform, Zee TV and Zee Cinema cost £12.99. Alpha Punjabi as a stand alone channel is priced at £ 9.99 while Zee Music is a free to air channel.
For UK, SAW is likely to be uplinked from India to HongKong from where it would be picked up by BskyB hub to BSkyB’s main broadcast center in London.
SAW is operated through a company named India World Network USA Inc, which is promoted by Bahl.
In a related development, SAW would foray into the Middle-East market where a sizable South Asian population exists. SAWs’ roll out in the Middle-East market is likely to be in tandem with its debut in UK market. Barring last moment hitches the channel would beam after a couple of months.
The channel primarily aims at targeting the Asian community. SAW will deliver news and views from India and the subcontinent. Its programming also includes local coverage of the South Asian community within the United States and the UK.
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.
