Taking inspiration from the American show Fear Factor, Khatron Ke Khiladi brings together celebrities who face their fears through a series of daring stunts and challenges. The show, hosted by Rohit Shetty, not only provides adrenaline-pumping entertainment but also showcases the contestants’ courage and determination. So far, 13 seasons of the show have been produced from 2008 to 2023. The most recent season, Khatron Ke Khiladi 13, had 27 episodes, thus becoming the longest season of the series since its inception.
4. Indian Idol
Inspired by: Pop Idol (UK)
Reality singing show Indian Idol, an adaptation of the British show Pop Idol, brings aspiring singers from diverse backgrounds to compete for the title of the country’s next singing sensation.
The show has aired on Sony Entertainment Television since 2004 and has been judged by various singers over the years. Across 14 seasons, 317 episodes of Indian Idol have been aired so far. The latest season of the show in 2023 was judged by Himesh Reshammiya and Vishal Dadlani. Rishi Singh from Ayodhya emerged as the winner of the season.
5. MasterChef India
Inspired by: MasterChef Australia (Australia)
MasterChef India, a cooking competition TV show, is inspired by the Australian show MasterChef Australia, which, in turn, originated from the British TV series MasterChef. Initially launched in Hindi in 2010, the show has expanded into MasterChef India Tamil and Telugu as well. The latest season, Season 8, premiered on Sony LIV on October 16, 2023. Vikas Khanna and Ranveer Brar made a comeback to the panel of judges. Mohammed Ashiq from Mangalore emerged as the winner, with Nambie Marak securing the runner-up position.
6. Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa
Inspired by: Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing with the Stars (UK)
Dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa is the adaptation of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing with the Stars. Celebrity couples team up with trained dancers to do different dances and get judged by experts and the audience. Every week, the pair with the fewest points and votes goes home, and this continues until there’s one winning dance pair left.
7. Shark Tank India
Inspired by: Shark Tank (America)
Business reality TV show Shark Tank India is the adaptation of American show Shark Tank. The show features entrepreneurs presenting their business ideas to a panel of investors or “sharks,” who then decide whether to invest in their company. Season 3 of the show is currently streaming on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV. The sharks on this season of the show include Co-founder & CMO of BoAT, Aman Gupta; Founder and CEO of Shaadi.com, Anupam Mittal; and Founder and CEO of Zomato, Deepinder Goyal among others.
