GECs
Sony to telecast ‘Sixth Indian Telly Awards’ on Sunday
MUMBAI: The Sixth Indian Telly Awards which was held on 24 November, will be telecast on Sony Entertainment Television on 3 December at 8 pm.
The evening was marked by dance performances by TV stars including Sangeeta Ghosh, Eijaz Khan and Akaashdeep Saigal, Mona Singh, the Left Right Left cast (Arjun Bijlani(Alekh), Gazal Rai (Pooja), Vikas Manattala (Huda), Priyanka Bhassin (Naina), Harshad Chopra(Ali), Kunal Kapoor(Yudi).
A stand-up comic act from Great Indian Laughter Challenge runner up Naveen Prabhakar brought down the house. Another performance by debutantes of last year and this year – Barkha Bisht, Sanjeeda, Daljit Kaur – and by television couples – Surveen Chawla and Manish Goel (together on a Sony show), Mouni Roy and Pulkit Samrat (the hot new couple of Kyunkii’s new generation), Divyanka Trivedi and Sharad Malhotra (the couple from Dulhan on Zee TV).
A special award was presented to Sun Network chairman Kalanidhi Maran for his contribution to Television by Sony Entertainment Television CEO Kunal Dasgupta. The award was an acknowledgement of his effort in enabling the growth of cable and satellite television market in south India through his Sun Network, television broadcasting group.
Balaji Telefilms creative head Ekta Kapoor was inducted. Ekta, the creative brain behind the runaway success that Balaji Telefilms, was inducted into the Hall of Fame, a category for young professionals in television for their contribution to the industry.
The function was hosted by popular faces of television – Kiran Karmakar, Juhi Parmar, Anuj Saxena, Mona Singh and Manav Gohil, Shweta Kawatra, Ayub Khan, Renuka Shahane, Karishma Tanna and Gaurav Chopra.
Billed as the Indian equivalent of the Emmys, the Indian Telly Awards is the brainchild of founder Anil Wanvari, who is also a board member of the International Emmy Academy in New York. One of the few Indians to have achieved that status. Says Wanvari, “Television is evolving and so will the awards. Our sincere effort is to make The Indian Telly Awards the industry’s benchmark because the awards have been created for the industry to recognize the excellence in the creative, business and technical spheres.”
The ground partners for the event were CNN IBN, IBN7, Zee Cinema and Times Now; the Radio partner Radio City 91.Fm; Outdoor Partner Bright Advertising; Multiplex Partner Fun Cinema; Print Partner Rajasthan Patrika and Mid-Day; Party Venue Partner Some Place Else; and PR Partner CMCG.
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.
