GECs
Zee acquires telecast rights to ‘Kyon Ki…’ & ‘Garam Masala’
MUMBAI: Kyon Ki… on Zee TV? No, we are not talking about the ‘mother of all soaps’. Zee Telefilms has acquired the telecast rights to the Diwali releases Kyon Ki… and Garam Masala, both directed by Priyadarshan.
Zee Cinema will premiere the movies within the next four to eight months.
According to industry estimates, Zee has paid Rs 40 million each for the rights of the two movies. While the Bollywood trade has already labelled Garam Masala a hit, Kyon Ki…, produced by Sunil Manchanda and Mukesh Talreja, is struggling at the box office. Garam Masala is a Venus Films production.
Zee Cinema business head Bharat Ranga, while refusing to enter into any discussion on acquisition costs, did confirm to indiantelevision.com that the two films were with his channel and that they would be premiered in the next four to eight months. “Presently, both the movies are having their run in the theatres. Hence, we are not planning anything at this moment,” Ranga said.
On Zee’s movie acquisition strategy, Ranga divulges, “The last big movie we acquired was Aitraaz in 2004. We don’t believe in going after all the big releases. After Aitraaz, these are the two big acquisitions we have done. In between, we had acquired some low-profile movies as well as old flicks. But they had been delivering us good numbers. For example, the (flop) Amitabh Bachchan starrer Ganga Jamuna Saraswati recorded 2.8 TVRs when it was telecast recently.”
This development could well point to a move on Zee’s part to get more aggressive on the acquisitions front. More so with rivals like Star going into overdrive to revive its as yet still struggling movie channel, Star Gold. The channel premiered one of Pryadarshan’s hit comedy movies Hulchal this September, which is why the news that these two films had gone to Zee Cinema came as a bit of a surprise. Other mega movies Star has bought this year are Virudh, Black and Paheli.
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.
