MasterChef India Returns with Celebrity Contestants and TV Comeback
MasterChef India returns with celebrity contestants and Farah Khan as a judge. The show airs on TV, promising exciting transformations in food entertainment.
Deepanjali
MasterChef India is returning with a celebrity twist and will now air on television, marking a significant shift in its strategy. After experimenting with digital-only streaming in its last season, Sony Pictures Network India is now bringing the popular cooking reality show back to TV screens, blending its appeal across platforms. To enhance its mass appeal, the new season will feature celebrity contestants, replacing the regular home chefs from previous editions. This exciting transformation is being introduced under the banner Celebrity MasterChef – Ab Unn Sabki Seeti Bajegi!
The trailer, shared on December 21, introduces the new judging panel: Bollywood choreographer and director Farah Khan, alongside renowned chefs Ranveer Brar and Vikas Khanna. While the exact launch date remains under wraps, the confirmed celebrity contestants include Gaurav Khanna, Tejasswi Prakash, Dipika Kakar, Rajiv Adatia, Nikki Tamboli, Archana Gautam, Faisal Shaikh, and Usha Nadkarni.
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This marks MasterChef India’s second season on the Sony Network after moving from Star India in January 2023. While the eighth season streamed exclusively on Sony LIV, the network has now decided to bring it back to television to capture a wider audience. According to Aman Srivastava, head of marketing at Sony LIV, the strategy revolves around diversifying content to ensure strong engagement on both TV and digital platforms.
The inclusion of Farah Khan as a judge is expected to add star power and relatability. Known for her engaging personality, Farah has previously hosted a popular cooking vlog on YouTube, where she often cooked alongside celebrities and her chef, Dilip. Farah has also been a successful judge on other Sony reality shows like Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega and Indian Idol.
The introduction of celebrity contestants is part of a broader trend, as seen with Colors TV's Laughter Chefs, which blended cooking with humor and garnered massive success. Sony is banking on this strategy to attract viewership and advertisers alike. Notably, the show has already onboarded big sponsors like Veeba, Acko, GIs of India, Fortune Chakki Fresh Atta, Bosch, and Vinod, indicating strong advertiser confidence.
Ranjana Mangla, head of ad revenue at Sony LIV, noted in a past interview that digital audiences view food content as entertainment, driving the platform’s focus on creating engaging cooking shows. However, while MasterChef India’s digital-only format gained subscribers and influenced audience habits, it didn’t achieve the desired advertising traction in regional editions.
By bringing the show back to television, Sony aims to leverage the wide reach of TV while retaining its digital audience. As the cooking reality show shifts gears, it hopes to rekindle excitement among viewers and redefine food entertainment in India.
