GECs
Face Off: Star bids to use KBC earthquake special to spook Sony’s JCPK. Both shows to air at 8 pm, Saturday (Posted on 10 February 11:30 am) Sony Entertainment Television’s CEO Kunal Dasgupta may have said that he didn’t plan for his gameshow
MUMBAI:Sony Entertainment Television’s CEO Kunal Dasgupta may have said that he didn’t plan for his gameshow Jeeto Chappar Phaad Ke (JCPK) hosted by Bollywood laugh riot Govinda to have a head-to-head confrontation with Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) but Star will have none of it. It will be up to the viewers to decide this one. Will they plump for Bollywood’s “Bade Miyaan” Amitabh Bachchan and his KBC or “Chhote Miyaan” Govinda and JCPK?
The answer will be out very soon. AB and Chi-Chi are facing off on Saturday 10 February at 8pm. Star Plus has planned a KBC Special at the same time slot that JCPK airs. The Star Earthquake Special has celebrity guests from the cinema and cricket worlds to give it added appeal. Bollywood star Madhuri Dixit and Indian cricket ace Sachin Tendulkar each won Rs5 million (now we have gender equality in winnings too) and have donated the amounts towards the Gujarat earthquake relief fund.
It is clearly a tough one for the guys at Sony. On the one hand they have the prospect of JCPK having to ward off the well entrenched KBC while the show is still in its infancy. On the other hand, the immediate appeal of a show which links to the tragedy in Gujarat, makes it doubly daunting.
And there’s more likely to come. Reason: the way Star has positioned its KBC special episode clearly indicates that it is not going to let Sony walk away and capture the weekend.
It sure looks an unequal fight from here and it remains to be seen what kind of response Sony’s head honchos come up with.
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.
