Mumbai, India – November 15, 2024 – Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) today unveiled an ambitious and diverse content slate for the festive season, meticulously crafted to captivate audiences across television and digital platforms. This strategic unveiling underscores the company’s commitment to a content-first, platform-agnostic, and multilingual entertainment business model, promising a rich tapestry of fiction, reality, films, regional programming, and live sports.
The new programming lineup is a testament to SPNI’s holistic approach, featuring a blend of established intellectual properties, globally acclaimed formats adapted for the Indian market, and innovative homegrown concepts. Bolstering its digital footprint, Sony LIV is strategically positioned as the central hub for all SPNI’s entertainment and sports offerings, encapsulated by its new brand proposition: ‘It All LIVs Here’.
Headlining the festive season’s offerings is the much-anticipated Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 18. Set to premiere on Sony Entertainment Television and simultaneously stream on Sony LIV, the iconic game show returns with its poignant campaign thought, ‘Sochna Padega’. This season will continue to uphold the show’s core tenets of knowledge, aspiration, and the power of life-altering stories that resonate deeply with millions across the nation.
Beyond its flagship show, the Hindi entertainment landscape at SPNI is set to welcome fresh faces and gripping narratives. Cricket maestro Rohit Sharma will make his much-anticipated entertainment debut with a dedicated show on the network, promising to bring his charisma from the cricket pitch to the small screen. Veteran actor Ajay Devgn will helm Crime Patrol 2026, a compelling true-crime series delving into real-life cases, offering viewers an immersive experience into the world of investigation and justice. Adding a dose of lighthearted competition, the Indian Game Show, hosted by the dynamic duo Bharti Singh and Harssh Limbachiyaa, will gather celebrities for a series of engaging challenges.
SPNI’s digital arm, Sony LIV, is also poised to deliver premium original content. Among its standout offerings is Scam 2010, a high-stakes series born from a collaboration between Sony LIV, Birla Studios, and Applause Entertainment. Directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Hansal Mehta, this series promises to unravel the intricate rise and dramatic fall of a colossal financial empire.
The network is significantly expanding its regional programming, demonstrating its commitment to linguistic diversity. Padma Shri awardee Madhuri Dixit will host Kon Honar Crorepati, the Marathi rendition of the beloved KBC format, connecting with Marathi-speaking audiences. For Tamil viewers, Sony LIV will feature MasterChef Tamil, starring the popular Samantha Ruth Prabhu, bringing culinary delights to the forefront. Additionally, Tamil Idol, the first Tamil adaptation of the globally renowned singing competition, will embark on a quest to discover Tamil Nadu’s next singing sensation, with music maestro A.R. Rahman leading the judging panel.
On the sporting front, Sony Sports Network’s ‘Festival of Sports’ is set to ignite passion among fans. Running from August 15 to December 1, this extensive calendar includes the high-profile India tour of Sri Lanka, the Women’s T20 Asia Cup, the Asian Games, and India’s comprehensive all-format tour of New Zealand. This action-packed period guarantees over three months of exhilarating international cricket and multi-sport spectacles.
Gaurav Banerjee, Managing Director & CEO of Sony Pictures Networks India, emphasized the strategic vision behind this expansive slate. “India’s entertainment landscape is increasingly being shaped by audiences who move freely across languages, genres and screens. Our focus is therefore on building compelling intellectual properties and stories that can connect with audiences wherever and however they choose to watch. This festive slate brings that approach to life. It combines some of our most enduring franchises with new formats, marquee talent, a growing regional portfolio and an exceptional calendar of live sport. From Kaun Banega Crorepati and our new Hindi entertainment properties to our offerings in Marathi and Tamil, we are building a wider and more diverse content portfolio, with our television network and Sony LIV working together to take it to audiences across India,” he stated.
SPNI reiterated that this content offensive underlines its unwavering content-first approach and its expanding multilingual portfolio. The synergy between its robust television network and the dynamic Sony LIV platform is central to its strategy, ensuring content accessibility across diverse demographics.
The company highlighted its vast reach, comprising 29 premium channels in SD and HD formats, encompassing Hindi, Marathi, and Bangla entertainment channels, movie channels, Sony Sports Network, Sony YAY!, Sony PIX, and Sony BBC Earth. Its digital ecosystem is spearheaded by Sony LIV, while Studio NEXT serves as its independent production arm, developing original content and intellectual properties for both television and digital consumption. SPNI boasts a phenomenal reach of over 700 million viewers within India and extends its presence to more than 150 countries globally.
