GECs
Sony’s ‘Saaksshi’ poised to lure women eye balls on weekends
MUMBAI: Seems like Sony is all set to change that weekend thriller slot. Close on the heels of Kkehna Hai Kucch Mujhko, Sony Entertainment Television is all set to launch yet another woman-oriented drama in a one hour weekly titled Saaksshi.
Starring Mouli Ganguly and Sameer Soni in lead roles, the show Cinevistaas’ show will air immediately after KHKM on Saturdays at 9 pm.
‘Directed by Rakesh Sarang (Sarhadein, Aashirwad, Aandhi), the show will premiere on 10 April.
The show is about a middle class female protagonist Saaksshi Singh, who is committed to redressing the wrong. She has the courage and determination to break all norms and conventional moulds to follow her own calling in life. Her brother has been missing for seven years and since then she has never been able to come to terms with the loss. She believes that her calling in life is to fight injustice and hence enlists herself as an undercover operative in an anti-terrorist squad, a professional that demands complete detachment of all emotional ties.
Thus begins her struggle to battle chauvinism and strike a perfect balance between her two lives- one of a sweet middle class daughter and the other of a tough undercover operative. She soon finds herself caught in the tumultuous world of an anti-terrorist squad that advocates complete commitment to duty and detachment from emotions to succeed in their missions.
Speaking at a media meet, Cinevistaas’ managing director Sunil Mehta said, “Mouli Ganguly was our only choice for Saaksshi’s role. She is simply brilliant.”
“In the past, Indian television has always portrayed women as submissive and dutiful hhousewives and mothers, whose lives perpetually revolved around their families. However, in today’s day and age, the Indian woman is increasingly aware of her capabilities and is garnering her courage and determination to make a mark in male dominated professions. Saaksshi is the channel’s endeavour to explore the various facets of the contemporary Indian woman, who aspires to take up a dynamic professiondespite stiff challenges,” offered SET India executive vice president – programming & response Tarun Katial.
Ganguly, who recently opted out from Balaji’s late night show on Star Plus because she thought she was stagnating as an actress, sounded extremely upbeat. “In Saaksshi, I will be doing something really different after a long time,” she said, adding, “I am doing somew kicking and boxing in the serial. There are some professionals who are helping me out. It’s very challenging.”
The male protagonist Soni (A Mouthful Of Sky, Ravi Chopra’s Baghban and Sony’s aggressively marketed Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin) informed, “I am back on television and enjoying every minute of it. In this serial, I play Shekhar Gupta who is Saaksshi’s boss in the anti-terrorist squad. Some officials are against her, but I see the talent and the passion she has to make it. I stand by her. I am quite liking the fact that I am doing a lot of stunts in this portrayal.”
Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Cinevistaas’ Chairman Prem Kishen said, “Our experience with Sony Entertainment Television has been really heartwarming. Our last show before this one, Crime Patrol, aired on SET, has done pretty well. There is no reason why Saaksshi should not do much better.”
Whether the channel’s dream and the actors’ optimism on the show will prove correct, we will soon know.
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.
