Sony Pictures Network India is shaking up its iconic reality shows with significant changes in programming. While ‘Shark Tank India’ moves exclusively to Sony LIV, ‘MasterChef India’ makes its way back to television, now with an exciting celebrity twist.

The upcoming season, titled Celebrity ‘MasterChef – Ab Unn Sabki Seeti Bajegi!’, will feature a star-studded lineup of contestants, including Gaurav Khanna, Tejasswi Prakash, Dipika Kakar, Rajiv Adatia, Nikki Tamboli, Archana Gautam, Faisal Shaikh, and Usha Nadkarni. Bollywood choreographer and director Farah Khan joins chefs Ranveer Brar and Vikas Khanna as judges.

The eighth season of ‘MasterChef India’ aired exclusively on Sony LIV in 2024 as part of the network’s digital strategy, focusing on evolving viewer habits. However, the regional Tamil and Telugu editions on Sony LIV failed to attract advertisers, prompting Sony to revisit its approach. Bringing the show back to television with celebrity contestants is a bid to increase its mass appeal and draw stronger viewership for advertisers.

Farah Khan, known for her engaging YouTube cooking vlogs and previous stints as a judge on Sony’s reality shows, seems a fitting addition to the show. The celebrity contestants bring added intrigue, mirroring the success of similar formats like Colors’ Laughter Chefs, which garnered a BARC rating of 1.8 and reached over 13.6 crore viewers.

Sony LIV’s Head of Ad Revenue, Ranjana Mangla, emphasized the shift to digital content as a response to changing consumer habits, stating that food content now doubles as entertainment. The platform’s strategy of airing new episodes five days a week aimed to drive daily engagement and attract subscribers.

Aman Srivastava, Sony LIV’s Head of Marketing, highlighted the platform’s balanced approach, blending digital exclusives and TV-plus-digital formats. MasterChef India’s return to television underscores the importance of catering to diverse audience preferences.

Having debuted in India in 2010 with Akshay Kumar as a judge, MasterChef India has continually evolved its format. After six seasons on Star India, the franchise moved to Sony Network in January 2023. The upcoming celebrity season continues the show’s legacy of innovation, offering a fresh take on culinary reality television.

As anticipation builds, the show’s success will hinge on its ability to captivate audiences with its celebrity contestants and family-friendly format.