GECs
Wheel of Fortune spins into India with Akshay Kumar at the helm
MUMBAI: Spin a wheel, crack a word, chase a crore. That, in essence, is the promise as Wheel of Fortune India makes its much-anticipated Indian debut on Sony Entertainment Television, bringing with it a heady mix of vocabulary, velocity and very high stakes.
Hosted by Akshay Kumar, the show adapts the globally celebrated format for Indian sensibilities, blending English, Hindi and Hinglish puzzles into a fast-paced contest spread across four tightly designed rounds. The result is a game show that is as much about quick thinking as it is about timing, nerve and a bit of luck.
Each episode pits three contestants against one another in a battle of words and wheels. The action opens with the Triple Toss-Up, where speed is everything. Letters flash on the board in random order, and contestants race to buzz in with the correct solution. Solve all three puzzles, and the reward doubles, setting the tone for a game where momentum matters.
The Puzzle Round introduces strategy. Contestants can spin the wheel, buy vowels for Rs 20,000 each, or solve the puzzle outright. The wheel itself is a mix of temptation and threat, with generous cash wedges sitting alongside hazards such as ‘Lose a Turn’ and the dreaded ‘Nagji’, capable of wiping out round earnings in a single spin. With prizes climbing all the way up to Rs 1 crore, every choice carries weight.
Things move up a gear in the Double Dhamaaka round, where speed and recall are pushed to the limit. After a quick qualifier, the leading contestant takes on a prize puzzle, armed with a handful of standard consonants and a vowel before making a rapid-fire attempt to crack the code within 15 seconds. Precision here can unlock big-ticket rewards beyond cash.
The pressure peaks in the Bonus Round, reserved for the day’s top scorer. One final spin reveals envelopes carrying prizes ranging from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh or a brand-new car. With just seconds on the clock and multilingual categories in play, the final puzzle becomes a sharp test of composure under fire.
Adding to the drama is the Final Spin, where time pressure flips the game into sudden-death mode, giving each correct consonant a fixed value and forcing contestants to think and answer on the clock.
Globally recognised as one of television’s most enduring game shows, Wheel of Fortune arrives in India with its legacy intact but its tone distinctly local. For viewers, it offers the simple pleasure of playing along at home guessing words, shouting answers, and feeling every near miss.
The show airs Monday to Friday at 9 PM on Sony Entertainment Television, with streaming available on Sony Liv. One wheel, countless words, and the promise that fortune, this time, speaks in many languages.
GECs
Aparna Ramachandran joins Zee as EVP and head of network digital
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited has appointed Aparna Ramachandran as EVP and head of network digital, signalling a sharper focus on strengthening its digital and streaming ecosystem.
Ramachandran joins Zee from Balaji Telefilms, where she served as head of digital originals, leading content strategy and production for the company’s digital platforms. She announced the move on LinkedIn, marking a new chapter in her career spanning more than 15 years across media, entertainment and technology.
Her professional journey includes senior roles at Viacom18 Media, Viu, FremantleMedia, Miditech, BigSynergy, BBC Worldwide, CNBC-TV18 and Bloomberg UTV. She began her career in 2005 as a software engineer at Infosys before transitioning into media and digital content leadership.
With experience across streaming media, broadcast television, content development, digital strategy, project management and video production, Ramachandran is expected to play a key role in shaping Zee’s network-wide digital growth and content innovation.
GECs
Zee TV launches on Samsung TV Plus with live German subtitles
London: Zee Entertainment has launched its flagship Zee TV as a live FAST channel on Samsung TV Plus across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, marking a first for South Asian television in Europe with round-the-clock live German subtitles.
The move takes Zee TV beyond its core diaspora audience and into the German-speaking mainstream, offering dramas, reality shows and family entertainment without subscriptions or language barriers. For FAST platforms, it sets a new benchmark in accessibility and scale.
Amit Goenka, president, international and digital businesses at Zee Entertainment, said the launch marked a turning point in the company’s global strategy.
“Zee TV Germany is a flagship launch and a defining moment in our journey to make entertainment truly borderless. By going live on Samsung TV Plus with 24/7 German subtitles, we are breaking language barriers and setting a new international benchmark for FAST streaming,” he said, adding that the partnership reflects Zee’s ambition to lead the FAST revolution through innovation and technology.
The rollout builds on the strong regional presence of Zee One and Zee5, both of which have cultivated loyal audiences across the DACH markets. The live FAST model now closes long-standing access gaps, particularly for younger diaspora viewers and first-time German-speaking audiences.
Samsung TV Plus said the partnership deepens its content portfolio in the region. Benedict Frey, country lead DACH and Benelux at Samsung TV Plus, said the addition strengthens its South Asian offering while widening appeal.
“Launching flagship Zee TV on Samsung TV Plus brings even more premium South Asian entertainment to our customers. Making this content available with live German subtitles is a meaningful step in serving diverse audiences and enriching the viewing experience,” he said.
Samsung TV Plus is Samsung’s free ad-supported streaming service, offering hundreds of live channels and on-demand titles across Samsung TVs, Galaxy devices and smart monitors.
Zee already commands a strong digital following across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with social platforms engaging hundreds of thousands of viewers. The live FAST launch is expected to amplify reach and drive appointment viewing at scale.
Zee TV is now available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus in Germany on channel 4210. With this launch, Zee TV Germany becomes the group’s ninth channel in Europe.
The signal is clear: FAST has gone mainstream—and Zee has arrived early, translated and ready to scale.
GECs
Sri Adhikari Brothers officially rebrands itself as Aqylon Nexus
MUMBAI: Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network has formally adopted a new corporate identity, rechristening itself Aqylon Nexus Limited after receiving clearance from the ministry of corporate affairs.
The company has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that the MCA has approved the change of name, with effect from January 23, 2026. The update was disclosed in compliance with Regulation 30 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015.
Confirming the approval, the company said the ministry had cleared the transition from Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network Limited to Aqylon Nexus Limited following the necessary regulatory process.
Aqylon Nexus said it has begun the formal exercise of replacing the old name across statutory filings and regulatory records. The broadcaster added that it is coordinating with relevant authorities and departments to complete the transition.
Under Section 12 of the Companies Act, 2013, the MCA has directed the company to continue displaying its former name alongside the new one for a period of two years.
Founded in 1994 and based in Mumbai, the company has been a long-standing presence in India’s television and content ecosystem. The rebrand reflects a repositioning effort as the media and entertainment sector undergoes rapid consolidation and structural change.
The legacy name remains on paper—for now. The business, however, is clearly turning the page.
-
iWorld3 months agoTips Music turns up the heat with Tamil party anthem Mayangiren
-
iWorld12 months agoBSNL rings in a revival with Rs 4,969 crore revenue
-
I&B Ministry3 months agoIndia steps up fight against digital piracy
-
MAM3 months agoHoABL soars high with dazzling Nagpur sebut
-
iWorld2 days agoNetflix celebrates a decade in India with Shah Rukh Khan-narrated tribute film
-
News Broadcasting6 months agoWion marks Independence Day with global showcase of India’s spirit
-
iWorld3 months agoThe Night Manager returns with new secrets, new spies and old scars
-
News Headline2 months agoShaji Prabhakaran named chief advisor to GOAT India Tour – Messi
