GECs
Zee poaches Ajay Kumar from ETV to head South initiatives
MUMBAI: Zee Telefilms is adding momentum to its Southern plans. The company has roped in ETV Network general manager marketing R Ajay Kumar to head its South initiatives.
Zee currently is present in Andhra Pradesh with Alpha Telugu, but is yet to make a mark with Sun Network-owned Gemini and ETV Telugu dominating the market. Kumar’s task as business head will not only be to strengthen Alpha Telugu but also to pan out Zee’s expansion plans in the entire southern region.
Kumar, who was earlier ETV Network GM marketing, is joining Zee group in the capacity of senior VP & business head for Alpha South initiatives with effect from 1 February 2005. Based out of Hyderabad, Kumar will be reporting to Zee Telefilms CEO Pradeep Guha.
Announcing the appointment Zee Telefilms director Punit Goenka said, “We are happy to announce the appointment of an accomplished professional like Ajay as the business head of Alpha South Channels. Expansion of various Alpha Channels in the Southern region, spanning several languages and genres, will be the perfect foil to his skills.”
Ajay Kumar started his broadcasting career in 1994 with Gemini TV where he worked as marketing head. Before that he was a faculty of Mass Communication & Journalism in Osmania University. Kumar had a brief stint as head of business promotions in ETV Telugu from 1995 – 1998 before going back to Osmania. In 2001 he joined ETV Network in the marketing department.
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.
