GECs
Nimbus readies for Xmas launch for Showbiz channel
Content provider Nimbus Communications is making its moves – quietly but surely. The company says it will launch its long-talked about channel on the entertainment business, the Showbiz channel, on 23 December via Thaicom-3.
Modi Entertainment Network will be the distribution agent for the digital encrypted channel. The proposed 24 hour pay service will charge cable ops Rs 4 per subscriber per month. Nimbus also plans a woman’s channel expected to launch at the end of the first quarter of 2001, reveals Nimbus chairman, Harish Thawani.
According to him, his company is amongst the front runners to bag the Sri Lanka cricket rights which are currently under review. Besides, Nimbus says it will produce and distribute a range of Hindi and regional movies. Directors Aziz Mirza and Sudheer Misra have been signed, as well as “some of the bigger stars,” says Thawani.
Besides, Hindi, Nimbus plans to produce films in Marathi, Kannada and Oriya languages. Nimbus Communications, which decided against an IPO earlier this year, had received Rs 432 million as part of a private placement with Transatlantic Corp. The company is awaiting “a period of stability in the stockmarket” to launch its IPO seeking another Rs 1,800 million. Nimbus prospectus has been approved by SEBI.
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.
