GECs
Sony to strengthen weekends with ‘Fear Factor India’
MUMBAI: Looks like Sony is now gearing up to strengthen its weekends and is going the reality way to do the same. The channel is readying to air Fear Factor India, which it recently bought from Endemol.
The show will be hosted by Mukul Dev and will be shot in Malaysia. However, channel officials refused to divulge the launch date.
Fear Factor India will be giving away Rs 1 million per episode to the winner. Also, the winners of each episode will feature in a grand finale with a mega prize of Rs 10 million for the ultimate winner.
Commenting on the launch of Fear Factor India, SET executive vice president Tarun Katial said, “It is the perfect time for the Indian audience to watch an action reality show, since Indians have an insatiable desire for action-adventure and on-the-edge thrilling stunts. Sony Entertainment Television discovers the typical Indian adventurousness and taps the latent desire by connecting with a wider viewer base, taking it to the masses.”
Fear Factor is debuting in Asia for the first time and the shoot for Indonesia, Malaysia and India is simultaneously taking place in Kuala Lumpur. The registration process for Fear Factor India commenced on 19 August. Auditions for the show were held from 27 – 29 August in Mumbai and the final selection of participants will be completed on 31 August.
The first season of Fear Factor India will playout over 13 episodes. The playout per episode is such that there will be three stunts and the winners of each episode will feature in a grand finale with a mega prize of Rs 10 million for the winner.
Fear Factor, worldwide, enjoys a very high brand loyalty with a successful track record in 106 countries. It is targeted at the 18-34 age bracket. The Fear Factor television series has a huge viewership across countries like USA, UK, Netherlands, France, Russia, South Africa, Brazil, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Australia, Belgium, Germany, Argentina, Poland and Mexico. In India, the international version airs on AXN.
The Fear Factor series won NBC’s highest rating for a summer premiere in seven years and was the highest rated show of the week in five of the eight summer episodes. It is Russia’s 15 most watched programmes and the top-rated French Canadian programme and, is being scaled up high in the Indian television entertainment market. The content of this Action Reality Show, Fear Factor India of Sony is cutting edge and enthralling with a high level of adventure quotient.
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.
