GECs
Indian Telly Awards first round of judging completed
MUMBAI: The first of the juries to decide the 63 programming, technical and trade categories of The Indian Telly Awards 2003 finished their deliberations late this evening in Mumbai. In their third year, The Indian Tellies, instituted by Anil Wanvari the founder of indiantelevision.com, seek to reward excellence in Indian television.
After a hectic schedule of three days, the jury comprising Lekh Tandon, Rakesh Sharma, Shailaja Bajpai, Vanita Kohli-Khandekar, Sabira Merchant, Rathikant Basu, Shanta Gokhale and Kiran Juneja, finished shortlisting five nominees for all the 20 Popular Awards categories. They viewed showreels and episodes covering more than 400 entries before zooming in on the Top Five in each category.
The consensus at the end of it all was: ‘The Indian Telly Awards are the most credible and transparent awards in the country today.’
“We have been very objective while deciding the nominees for all the categories. It has been a Herculean task because there were a lot of entries for each category,” said Sharma when asked about his experience as a member of the jury. “By the way things are going, I’m sure that a couple of years down the line, The Indian Telly Awards will be the top most awards for the television industry in our country,” he added.
Promoter of Broadcast Worldwide Pvt Ltd Rathikant Basu expressed his opinion on the awards by saying, “I have been on a lot of other juries prior to this but most places there are nominees and winners are pre decided and a jury is just a formality. But I can tell you that The Indian Telly Awards are probably one of the most transparent and honest awards in our country.”
Actress Kiran Joneja said, “The categories have been increased this year but there is still some scope for improvisation. Some categories can be broadened so as to give equal and fair opportunities to everyone.”
Veteran director Lekh Tandon said, “The team behind the Telly Awards is very hardworking and diligent. The awards give due recognition to the people in the television industry and are unbiased.”
“Today there are so many award functions for the Indian film industry but there are hardly any awards for the television industry. The Indian Telly Awards has really grown from the time of its conception three years back and I can only see it going further,” said Businessworld magazine’s senior editor- Media Vanita Kohli-Khandekar.
At the end of the three days, the jury members were very satisfied with the way things had turned out. Although there were times when they did not reach a unanimous decision at first go, but after some critical analysis and discussions a consensus was finally reached.
The second round of judging through another jury is slated to commence on 15 September and will continue over two days in Mumbai. The jury will decide on whose work is good enough to figure amongst the nominees for the technical awards categories.
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.
