Sensational singing aspirants with their inspiring stories strike the right chord on the 10th season of Indian Idol ~ With the judging panel helmed by Anu Malik, Vishal Dadlani and Neha Kakkar, the show premieres on July 7 and will air every Sat-Sun at 8:00PM only on Sony Entertainment Television ~
Press Release: Mumbai, July 9, 2018: With the advent of monsoon, Sony Entertainment Television opens up a refreshing new chapter of Indian Idol with #MausamMusicKa. In its 10th season this year, Indian Idol is set to raise the bar yet again with not just impressive talent but also their inspiring stories. Taking on the responsibility of judging will be, renowned singer and music composer, Vishal Dadlani, popular singer and youth icon, Neha Kakkar, and the veteran singer and music director, Anu Malik. The spontaneous and talented Maniesh Paul, anchors the show as its charming host. This year, Indian Idol will see some inspiring journeys of contestants who want to prove that their talent surpasses the societal norms of appearance, cast or religion. From an accomplished playback singer from Odisha, to a stage performer from Shimla who doesn’t want to give up singing even though his eyesight is giving up on him; from a trained singer who has been rejected by a music band because of their conventional expectations to 19-year-old who supports his entire family with his singing, will all be judged on the same parameters. It’s their grit and determination that has got them this far and will help them turn over a new leaf hereon. Staying true to the promise of enhancing the viewer engagement with an interactive second screen, Sony Entertainment Television, via the SonyLIV app will provide an opportunity to the viewers to be an integral part of the contestants’ journey on Indian Idol. From guessing contestant’s selection during auditions to cheering for their favourite contestants during the gala round and singing along with their choice contestants, the viewers will be involved with a lot more. From the several who audition, those chosen will undergo the Theatre Round from which the judges will further shortlist contestants, for the Top 12. The competition amongst the Top 12 will intensify with the audience and the judges rooting and voting for their favourite contestants’ week on week till the next Indian Idol is chosen. Neha Kakkar has been a part of the Indian Idol journey before as a contestant and as a judge currently, will be seen guiding them towards perfection along with her co-judges Vishal Dadlani and Anu Malik. Based on format created & owned by FremantleMedia and 19TV Ltd, the multi-faceted chemistry between the judges combined with sensational singing talent promises to make this season of Indian Idol an ultimate entertainer on Indian television. Join the super trio of judges as they embark on this new journey to discover India’s next ‘Indian Idol’. Tune in as the musical journey unfolds on India Idol starting July 7, every Sat-Sun at 8:00PM only on Sony Entertainment Television
Comments: Danish Khan, EVP and Business Head, Sony Entertainment Television “This is the 10th season of Indian Idol and I feel the talent that we have is perhaps the best ever. We are delighted to continue our partnership with FreematleMedia and the trio of Judge – Anu Malik, Vishal Dadlani and Neha Kakkar. The fact that Neha Kakkar, who was once an aspirant, will now Judge the talent this season speaks volumes about its rich legacy and the relevance of Indian Idol as a brand.”
Ashish Golwalkar, Senior Creative Director, Sony Entertainment Television “While the format remains the same, there is a lot of innovation to surprise and delight our viewers. In fact, we have added music in the audience round and the result is fantastic. This time around, apart from the great talent, there is a versatile panel of judges with Anu Malik, Vishal Dadlani and Neha Kakkar.” Aradhana Bhola, Managing Director, Fremantle “As the oldest and most travelled of all singing shows worldwide, Idol continues to rule in 54 territories. At Fremantle, we are very excited to be creating the 10th season of Indian Idol and continuing our strong partnership with Sony. We hope that our contestants with their unique voices and stories that are representative of the changing youth of India coupled with a seasoned and fun loving jury will create irresistible entertainment for the audiences.” Anu Malik, Judge, ‘Indian Idol’ Season 10 “This show is really close to my heart because I have been associated with it for so long now. I have always been expressive and outspoken whenever I have judged ‘Indian Idol’ only because this platform attracts participants who are passionate about music. Vishal Dadlani, Judge, ‘Indian Idol’ Season 10 “It feels great to come back on ‘Indian Idol’ once again. There is a superlative variety of talent who test their singing skills on this platform with such panache that audiences can see the diversity present in India. Demanding nothing but the best, I will always encourage the contestants on the show. I am looking forward to this great association with Sony Entertainment Television.” Neha Kakkar, Judge, ‘Indian Idol’ Season 10 “I feel proud to be associated with India Idol as a judge. It is the very same platform that gave me the opportunity to showcase my talent and even though I did not win in the show, I will always be thankful for the experience and exposure that I got from it. I am looking forward to the talent this season and their commitment to music.”
About Sony Entertainment Television: Sony Entertainment Television (SET), one of India's leading Hindi general entertainment television channels is a part of Sony Pictures Networks India Pvt. Ltd., which is India’s leading television network. Since its launch in October 1995, SET has created a unique space for itself in the Indian television industry. Pioneering new waves in television programming, big format non-fiction shows and an impressive array of fiction shows like The Kapil Sharma Show, Super Dancer, Kaun Banega Crorepati, Indian Idol, Dus Ka Dum, Comedy Circus, Cross Roads, CID, Crime Patrol, Mere Sai – Shraddha Aur Shaburi, Vignaharta Ganesha, Yeh Un Dino Ki Baat Hai, Yeh Pyaar Nahi to Kya Hai, Porus amongst others. SET is known for its innovative concepts and exciting formats and is the most preferred family entertainment channel which has been providing strong platforms for more than 700 brands to reach over 93 million households in India. In addition, Sony Entertainment Television is also available in the US, UK, Africa, Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives, Malaysia, Indonesia, Fiji Islands and Seychelles. In total, SET influences over 332 million viewers in the Indian sub-continent, and the South Asian Diaspora worldwide. About Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation which owns and operates the Sony Entertainment network of television channels. SPN comprises 31 channels including Sony Entertainment Television (SET and SET HD), one of India's leading Hindi general entertainment television channels; MAX, India's premium Hindi movies and special events channel; MAX 2, another Hindi movie channel showcasing great India Cinema; MAX HD, a high definition Hindi movie channel airing premium quality films; WAH, the FTA channel for Hindi movies; SAB and SAB HD the family-oriented Hindi comedy entertainment channels; PAL, a genre leader in rural Hindi speaking markets (HSM) showcasing the best of Hindi general entertainment and Hindi movies from SPN’s content library; PIX and PIX HD, the English movie channels; LePlex HD showing critically-acclaimed Hollywood films; AXN and AXN HD, the action and adventure-oriented English entertainment channels; Sony BBC Earth and Sony BBC Earth HD, the premium factual entertainment channels, Sony AATH, the Bangla entertainment channel; MIX a refreshing Hindi music channel; ROX HD, a channel for contemporary Hindi music; YAY!, the kids entertainment channel; Sports Network comprising 11 sports entertainment channels – SONY SIX, SONY SIX HD, SONY ESPN, SONY ESPN HD, SONY TEN 1, SONY TEN 1 HD, SONY TEN 2, SONY TEN 2 HD, SONY
TEN 3, SONY TEN 3 HD, SONY TEN GOLF HD; SonyLIV - the digital entertainment VOD platform, SPN Productions, the networks’ film production arm and Sony Pictures Networks Distribution Pvt Ltd. (SPND) that distributes the networks television channels across different genres and languages through multiple content delivery platforms. SPN reaches out to over 700 million viewers in India and is available in 167 countries. The network is recognized as an employer of choice within and outside the media industry. SPN is a recipient of several awards, including the ‘Aon Best Employers India’ Award in the 2017 edition in recognition of SPN’s unique workplace culture and exceptional people practices, consistently ranking amongst India’s Top 10 Companies with Best Health & Wellness Practices by SHRM & CGP Partners, listed by Working Mother & AVTAR as one of the 100 Best Companies for Women in India in 2017 and adjudged one of India’s Great Mid-Size Workplaces for its distribution business by the Great Place To Work® Institute in the 2017 edition. Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited is in its 23rd year of operations in India. Its subsidiaries include Sony Pictures Networks Distribution India Private Limited, MSM-Worldwide Factual Media Private Limited, MSM Discovery Private Limited, Taj Television (India) Private Limited, Aqua Holding Investments [Pvt.] Ltd., and Bangla Entertainment Private Limited. Media Contacts:
