GECs
Zee TV draws up new programming lineup of soaps; bids to regain lost ground
Five new soaps and a handful of in-house produced shows. That’s the first of Zee TV’s artillery as it starts its offensive against Star Plus and Sony Entertainment. The duo has already stolen quite a lot of advertising ground from it.
They include: Samander, Aanchal Ke Chaon Mei, Gardish, Ankahee, Kaise Kahoon. Kaise Kahoon, the first of the five soaps starts airing on 5 February (Monday to Thursday 3:30 pm), and is produced by Mona Kapoor. Aashique Rahul Roy makes his small screen debut with this soap. (Wonder whether his lover boy image will help attract audiences?)
The story is about two close friends from different communities whose friendship extends to theri families. The families begin to drift apart when a narrow-minded female protagonist comes into the picture. “Effort is taken to blend two communities out of this serial, the happiness, misunderstanding and sorrow that these two families undergo due to the narrow way of thinking of a single female,” says Sudha Chandran, one of the leads in the soap.
Aanchal Ki Chaon Mein commences from 6 February every Tuesday at 9.30 pm and is produced by Rakesh Sarang and Mir Muneer. “The series is the story of a woman torn between the attachment of her family and her own personal life,” says Mir Munner the serial writer and co-producer. Slotted for the late night slot are Ankahee (produced by ManishGoswami; debuts on 21 February, Wednesdays 9:30 pm) and Gardish (directed by Ravi Rai; 7 February, Wednesdays 10 pm). Ankahee has Govind Namdeo, Vivek Mushran and Iravati Harshe playing the leads . Samander by Rajesh Mishra debuts on 8 February and is to be telecast every Thursday at 10 pm with Kabir Bedi and the versatile Nikki Aneja starring.
Zee is also introducing a clutch of other in-house programmes. Lamhe a half-an-hour musical programme with Golden era’s black and white movie songs is slated to air at 7.00 am every day. Highlight Zee, a 15-minute update of the entire day’s lineup airs all weekdays at 10.30 am. Amrit Kalash, a 30 minute tete-a-tete with successful people from various walks of life who have achieved their success on their own. Vedic chants, bhajans and sermons will be interspersed with nuggets of their views. Directed by Jeetendra Sritava it is scheduled on week-end days at 6.30pm.
And if this is not enough to add to the programming masti, it has lined up Chatpati Chaat – a 15 minute programe consisting of select comedy scenes from Hindi movies (Monday to Friday 10:45 am) and hosted by Bhavna Balsaver.
Will the new programming help Zee TV regain lost turf? For that it is over to King Viewer, who wields that ominous remote in his/her hands.
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.
