GECs
Zoom attempts comedy with Santa & Banta Unlimited; to air from 10 July
MUMBAI: The original Indian rap king Baba Saigal and popular RJ Siddharth Kannan team up to entertain viewers with Zoom’s first comic bonanza, Santa & Banta Unlimited. This new show aims to redefine ‘time pass viewing’, with it’s two hosts Siddharth Kannan aka Santa and Baba Saigal aka Banta.
Starting 10 July, the half hour show will air every Monday at 8.30 pm.
The duo promise to deliver everything from topical news, lifestyle issues, film reviews, TV gags of other shows, parties, call ins for “love” problems and other gyaan, in true Santa Banta style, which is a comical rhapsody, witty repartees and award winning one liners.
Santa & Banta Unlimited being an extension of the personalities of the two hosts’ reflects the natural camaraderie between Banta, a “cut surd” and Santa, a typical “Tam Bram”. Kannan is known for his spontaneous sense of humor; hence Baba’s rapping will be a great foil to Kannan’s yakking.
Joking about his rapport with Baba, Kannan remarks with his trademark tongue-in-cheek twist, “We are like a husband and wife team. But we haven’t figured who is the husband and who is the wife. We are two contrasting people with a zest for life. As people in Mumbai would say, we are truly bindaas.”
“Anchoring is a part of me. It has a different kick, different popularity and a different feedback,” says Baba about his experience. “I have known Siddharth since the past 12 years. We’ve developed a great chemistry and that will be evident on-screen.”
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.
