Sony Pictures Networks India to take a spin on Wheel of Fortune

India’s Wheel of Fortune in India will be hosted by actor Akshay Kumar

Sony Pictures Networks is gearing up to launch a local version of classic US gameshow Wheel of Fortune in India.

Hosted by actor Akshay Kumar, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) will air the show on its Indian TV channel Sony Entertainment Television and stream it on Sony LIV next year.

Highgate Entertainment has licensed the format to SPNI, with Frames Production Company producing the Indian edition for SPNI.

It comes after Sony Pictures Television (SPT) and CBS reached an “amicable resolution” to the ugly https://www.c21media.net/news/sony-cbs-resolve-jeopardy-wheel-of-fortune-legal-spat-with-distribution-deal/ year-long legal battle over the distribution rights to Wheel of Fortune, as well as Jeopardy!.

This saw international distribution of both shows transfer from CBS to SPT at the beginning of this month.

Wheel of Fortune was created by Merv Griffin and has aired continuously in the US since 1975. Contestants solve word puzzles, similar to those in hangman, to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a giant carnival wheel.

Nachiket Pantvaidya, business head at Sony Entertainment Television, said: “Sony Entertainment Television has long pioneered the reality format space in India, consistently introducing globally successful IPs that engage audiences at scale.

“With Wheel of Fortune, we’re adding another marquee global franchise to the portfolio, bringing high-energy entertainment to Indian homes. Anchored in our strategy across Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV, the show promises to create a powerful brand-building and engagement platform, offering advertisers unparalleled reach and impact across television and digital.”

Kumar added: “Its multi-generational appeal and the thrill of puzzle-solving have made it a global favourite and I’m confident it will be immensely enjoyed by Indian audiences.”