Sony VIZHA launches on 19 October with Tamil Idol and Celebrity MasterChef

MUMBAI: From hitting the high notes to turning up the heat in the kitchen, Sony VIZHA is serving Tamil audiences a full platter of entertainment. Sony Pictures Networks India’s new Tamil entertainment platform will launch on 19 October at 8 pm, bringing together reality competitions, fiction, films, crime shows and cricket under its brand promise, ‘Ithu Namma Vibe’.

The line-up combines globally recognised formats adapted for Tamil viewers with stories rooted in local culture. Leading the charge are Tamil Idol and Celebrity MasterChef Tamil, which bring singing and cooking competitions to the regional entertainment landscape. The slate also includes Notebook 90’s – Kadhal Flashback, Crime Patrol – Kuttrangal Tharum Echarikkai and Madam Police – Naanga Irukka Bayamen, alongside a movie line-up featuring Anbil Avan, Asareeri, Sardar 2, Mandaadi, Rajan Vagaiyara and Meesaya Murukku 2.

Cricket fans also have a reason to tune in, with R Ashwin set to provide Tamil commentary for all five T20I matches in the upcoming India New Zealand bilateral series.

Celebrity MasterChef Tamil will bring celebrities into the kitchen for culinary challenges, with Samantha Ruth Prabhu as celebrity judge. The judging panel also features chefs Venkatesh Bhat, Sashi Cheliah and Shreeya Adka, while RJ Vijay will host the show.

The contestants are Abi, Balaji Murugadoss, Dheena, Janani Ashok, Maria Juliana, Mathichiyam Bala, Ravi Mariya, Reshmi Menon, RJ Deepak, Shiyara, Siddhartha and Vinothini. Banijay Asia is producing the show.

Deepak Dhar, founder and group CEO of Banijay Asia and Endemol Shine India, said MasterChef had been adapted in 74 markets worldwide and that the Tamil edition would celebrate the region’s culinary traditions. He also highlighted Samantha’s association with the format.

Music takes centre stage in Tamil Idol, which will search for aspiring singers from across Tamil Nadu. AR Rahman will serve as super judge, alongside judges Andrea Jeremiah, Karthik and Benny Dayal. Vikkals Vikram and Pooja Venkat will host the show, produced by Fremantle.

Aradhana Bhola, managing director of Fremantle, said the global Idols format had reached audiences in 60 countries, attracting 700 million viewers and generating more than 9 billion YouTube views since its launch in 2001.

For viewers looking to revisit the past, Notebook 90’s – Kadhal Flashback travels to 1990s Trichy, exploring friendship, first crushes and young love. Featuring Muzammil Elias and Yuva, the series is directed by Mithran R Jawahar and produced by Streetlight Pictures.

Crime takes a more serious turn with Crime Patrol – Kuttrangal Tharum Echarikkai, which draws on real-life cases to examine criminal investigations, motives and circumstances. Rangaraj Pandey hosts the series, produced by Sundar Kaarthikk’s Hifour Entertainment.

Meanwhile, Madam Police – Naanga Irukka Bayamen follows an all-women police team tackling everyday cases with courage, wit and empathy. The series stars Divya Ganesan and Sreethu Krishnan, is directed by Koan and produced by A L Vijay’s D Studios.

Mithran R Jawahar said Notebook 90’s revisits the innocence and emotions of first love, while Sundar Kaarthikk described Crime Patrol as an opportunity to develop impactful Tamil storytelling. A L Vijay also expressed confidence in the platform’s ability to connect with viewers across Tamil Nadu.

Beyond its original shows, Sony VIZHA will offer a varied movie slate that includes Anbil Avan, Asareeri, Sardar 2, Mandaadi, Rajan Vagaiyara and Meesaya Murukku 2, among other titles.

The addition of Tamil commentary by R Ashwin for all five T20Is in the upcoming India New Zealand series extends the platform’s offering into live sports, bringing a regional-language perspective to the cricket action.

Raja S, chief content officer – South Regional at Sony Pictures Networks India, said the platform aims to bring together Tamil culture, global formats, locally resonant stories and major sporting events across television and digital platforms. He added that the line-up also offers advertisers an opportunity to connect with Tamil audiences across different content interests.

The launch is built around ‘Ithu Namma Vibe’, a positioning that seeks to combine familiar cultural references with new entertainment formats. With reality television, fiction, films and cricket sharing the same line-up, Sony VIZHA is aiming to reach Tamil viewers across generations and geographies.

The platform launches on 19 October at 8 pm, with a schedule that moves from paatu to samayal, from nostalgic romance to crime investigations, and from the screen to the cricket field.