GECs
SET in for major administrative changes, ‘rightsizing’?
As senior V-P programming and production Rekha Nigam gets ready to clear her desk over the next few days, the reports coming out of Sony Entertainment Television are that there is a major restructuring in the pipeline.
In the immediate term Nachiket Pantvaidya, VP programming, and Anupama Mandloi, director programming, have been assigned the task of holding fort as it were till a final decision is made on who will replace Nigam. Additionally, a senior executive from the Los Angeles headquarters is reportedly coming down to India to check on things.
And the man who reportedly initiated the hatchet job – Los Angeles-based Columbia Tristar Television International president Michael Grindon – in India for the last three days for the very purpose, flies back tonight.
An industry observer believes that the channel has 30 to 35 people in excess at the moment and over the coming weeks and months what is likely to be witnessed is a major jettisoning process. At the end of it all there is likely to be seen a leaner, meaner organisation.
This “rightsizing” will also involve the exit of quite a few senior executives who cannot claim to have a clear role to play. And some who do have well defined ones but are seen to have fallen short on deliveries.
Grindon had reportedly scheduled a senior level meeting this evening to discuss all issues linked to the restructuring but that appears to have been put out of joint following the bomb hoax that led to the evacuation of the Sony offices earlier in the evening.
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.
