GECs
Sony opts for interactivity with Salman’s ‘Dus ka Dum’
MUMBAI: The debut TV show of actor Salman Khan nearly a decade ago, is back with a bang but promises to take the offering up a few notches. After nine years, he will be back on screen on Sony Entertainment Television (SET) with Dus ka Dum.
While the initial seasons depended on the entertainment factor, SET EVP and business head Danish Khan said that this time it will be socially-driven. Several heads were put together to decide the right set of questions.
“The format of the show has been changed from two rounds to having three rounds. Our sample size has increased from 5000 people to 1.5 million people and makes the record of the largest survey ever done across the world. The product is premium, the ad rates are also premium. The response of the brands has been quite encouraging,” Khan told Indiantelevision.com.
The brands on board till now are Kamla Pasand which is the presenting sponsor and Priyagold SuperStar and Syska LED as powered by sponsors.
The show has been planned for 26 episodes with a focus on urban and semi-urban audience. The runtime is 90 minutes from 8:30 pm on Monday and Tuesday. Millions of Indian citizens will get to test their observation skills and stand a chance to come on air.
SPN India CEO NP Singh said that Sony’s in-house creative team and Sony Pictures Television, UK have re-envisioned Dus Ka Dum. It will have more second screen engagement, something that didn’t exist a few years ago, and the channel already showed the power of digital during Kaun Banega Crorepati where it got 40 million users registered for KBC Play-Along last year in a span of 10 weeks.
SET VP-marketing Aman Srivastava told Indiantelevision.com that promotions for the show begin from 31 May on outdoor and print and the launch day print ad on 4 June. In television, promotions will be aired across the Sony
network channels and others like Masti, 9XM, Aaj Tak, News18 and India TV.
The 1.5 million people Khan was talking about were via the SonyLIV app, giving people an opportunity to audition for the show and stand a chance to play the game as a participant on television.
Big Synergy consultant Siddhartha Basu said, “It is always a pleasure to be associated with the channel, Danish Khan and his team. The registration response was overwhelming and we do hope the nation once again enjoys the much-loved show and star in this brand new outing.”
Salman Khan said, “The show marked my debut on television and will always stay close to my heart. I am happy to return with it after nine long years! I feel a lot richer with the experiences shared by the participants on the show and the everlasting love of my fans.”
GECs
Sony ties up with EU for MasterChef India finale
GI-tagged European ingredients headline finale week
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India has struck what it calls a landmark association with the European Union for the finale week of MasterChef India, marking the first such collaboration between the bloc and an Indian television format.
The tie-up will culminate in the “European Union mystery box challenge”, which opens the much-anticipated finale week. The task will see the top six contestant pairs cook with a curated basket of ingredients bearing geographical indications (GIs) from across EU member states: a nod to provenance as well as palate.
Chef Ajay and Chef Guntas, introduced as chef ambassadors to the European Union, will present the mystery boxes and set the brief: use the fewest ingredients from each category and produce a MasterChef-level dish that marries European produce with Indian flavour sensibilities. Precision and restraint, rather than extravagance, will be tested.
For Sony, the move signals a push towards high-value integrations that blur the line between sponsorship and storytelling. The network said the association underscores the show’s growing global stature and its ability to attract world-renowned institutions to Indian screens.
Chef Ajay Chopra, food ambassador in the European Union, described the collaboration as a strategic opportunity to spotlight the heritage and authenticity of GI-tagged European products to India’s vast food-loving audience.
Over the years, MasterChef India has positioned itself as a gateway to global cuisines. The EU partnership sharpens that pitch, turning the finale into a stage for cross-continental culinary diplomacy.
The finale week will air from 2 March, 2026 at 8 pm on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony Liv.
