iWorld
Ganesh Venkatraman to host SonyLIV’s Crime Patrol in Tamil
MUMBAI: ‘Satark Rahe’, ‘Surakshit Rahe’, ‘Har Jurm Dastak Deta Hai’ – If these lines resonate with you, then you have grown up watching Crime Patrol. Over the last 16 years, this marquee show from the Sony Pictures Networks stable has kept us hooked onto our screens with compelling cases and gritty storytelling. Riding on its colossal popularity of being India’s longest-running reality crime television series, the show now gets a Southern makeover. SonyLIV, the digital streaming platform is set to launch the Tamil version of Crime Patrol and has roped in leading Tamil actor Ganesh Venkatraman as the anchor.
Ganesh Venkatraman will step into the shoes of Anup Soni who toplined the Hindi version of the crime series for years. With films across six regional industries, Ganesh is one of India’s finest film and TV actor and was also a finalist in "Bigg Boss Tamil 1". Some of the films he starred in were Radha Mohan's Abhiyum Naanum (2008), Unnaipol Oruvan (2009) and Kandahar (2010) besides a number of ad films across different Indian languages.
Confirming the news, Ganesh Venkatraman said, “Creating awareness about crimes is a serious job and I am happy to team up with a very passionate team of technicians for the same. I truly believe Crime Patrol is not just a format breaking series but a path-breaking one for the Tamil audiences. My grandfather was a Police officer and my father is a lawyer, so naturally law & order runs in my blood. My tough cop roles in my movies have been always appreciated by Tamil audiences. I am super excited to don a new avatar piecing together these crimes for our audiences. My best wishes to SonyLIV for a successful launch in Tamil and shooting for the series is turning out to be a fantastic experience.”
Crime Patrol Tamil will go live this August only on SonyLIV.
iWorld
Prime Video unveils biggest India originals slate yet
Nearly 55 titles across languages signal deeper push into films, series
MUMBAI: Prime Video is turning up the volume on Indian storytelling, unveiling its largest-ever Originals slate at the ‘Prime Video Presents’ showcase, with close to 55 series and films spanning languages, genres and formats.
The new lineup, which stretches across Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, signals a clear intent: go bigger, go wider, and meet audiences wherever they are watching, whether on streaming screens or in cinemas. Alongside Originals, the platform also announced a fresh theatrical slate under Amazon MGM Studios, marking a deeper step into the big-screen business.
Among the headline acts is The Revolutionaries, a large-scale drama from Nikkhil Advani starring Bhuvan Bam and Rohit Saraf. The slate also features Matka King with Vijay Varma, Raakh starring Ali Fazal and Sonali Bendre, and Lukkhe, which marks rapper King’s acting debut. Adding a genre twist is Vansh – The Kalyug Warriors, positioned as India’s first homegrown Hindi superhero series for streaming.
Familiar favourites are also making a return, with new seasons of Farzi, Panchayat, Call Me Bae, Dupahiya, Dahaad and The Traitors in the pipeline, reinforcing the platform’s bet on established franchises.
Regional storytelling gets a notable push. Highlights include a Telugu adaptation of The Traitors hosted by Teja Sajja, the drama Guvvala Cheruvu Ghat, and Tamil titles such as Exam and returning seasons of Vadhandhi and Inspector Rishi.
The slate also opens new creative partnerships. Hrithik Roshan’s HRX Films steps into streaming with Storm and Mess, while Alia Bhatt’s Eternal Sunshine Productions backs Don’t Be Shy. Production houses including Excel Entertainment, Tiger Baby Films and The Viral Fever further deepen the creative bench.
On the theatrical front, the platform is lining up five films, including Raftaar starring Rajkummar Rao and Keerthy Suresh, VIBE directed by Kunal Kemmu, Dilkashi with music by A. R. Rahman, Nayyi Navelli featuring Yami Gautam, and Kuku Ki Kundli starring Wamiqa Gabbi.
According to Prime Video India director and head of Svod business Shilangi Mukherji, India remains central to the platform’s global growth, ranking among its top markets for new subscribers. She noted that nearly two-thirds of users watch content in more than four languages, underlining a growing appetite for diverse storytelling.
Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok, said the new slate reflects a continued push towards bold, culturally rooted narratives with global appeal.
In short, Prime Video is not just adding titles, it is widening the lens. From small-town dramas to superhero sagas and cinema-ready spectacles, the message is simple: more stories, more voices, and far more ways to watch them.
