GECs
Zee’s India’s Best hits the television shelf
MUMBAI: The much awaited Zee’s Cinestars Ki Khoj is all set to hit the television shelf. With the hunt for the two potential stars in its second phase, the event will be on air starting 2 July on every Friday and Saturday for an hour’s duration in the 9 pm slot.
The telecast schedule for this event for the next 10 weeks, which essentially is phase one, will showcase the ecstasy, trauma, victory and defeat through 20 episodes.
In terms of what this whole concept has meant for Zee as a brand, Zee claims the following:
1. Brand recall value
2. Strengthened the connect the channel shares with the masses
3. Programming awareness
Also, this endeavour does not stop after the conclusion of this debut hunt, but is going to be an annual occurrence.
Speaking on the occasion Essel Corporate Group’s vice president corporate brand development Ashish Kaul says, “In India people are passionate about two things films and cricket and India’s Best was one such opportunity that helped us in reaching people and creating brand recall of Zee TV.”
Looking at how the channel is going to be padding the whole event to make it a more interesting and novel watch, Zee has raked up a reality show which revolves around the final participants, in an attempt to get the viewer up close with the final participants. This reality show will be woven in with the second phase of the event where the finalists from all cities enter the semi and the final rounds of the best of the best.
As reported earlier, Zee’s agenda is essentially to augment its weekend lineup as well as to tap the weekend viewers. A point to note here would be that Zee has juxtaposed its Cinestar Ki Khoj against Sony’s Devi on Friday and Saakshi on Saturday. Also Star’s Shararat, Ssshhh Koi Hai Darr on Friday and a feature film on Saturday.
Hence it’s going to be interesting to see how much Zee is able to ramp up viewership in what some see as the steadily “dipping weekend viewership”. At the very minimum, the first target would be to get a fair share of the weekend pie.
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.
