Confirmed! Karan Johar takes the stage as host for Indian version of Emmy-winning The Traitors on Prime Video

Karan Johar will host the Indian version of The Traitors, a highly acclaimed ultimate game of trust and deceit, which Prime Video announced today. The OTT platform will feature the unscripted original reality show, which will debut in Hindi with English subtitles. The show is quickly becoming one of the most popular reality game-show formats globally, with adaptations in more than 20 countries across continents.

Format overview and gameplay

Competing for a huge financial prize, players must use all their brainpower, cunning, and strategy in this original series game of trust and deceit. Twenty participants arrive at a royal palace with the aim of securing the financial rewards amassed from a range of psychological and physical tasks. At the start of the program, the host will covertly select a small number of players to play the role of "traitors," even though the majority of the players are unaware of this fact. The game of cruel twists and turns, heartless deceit, and continual manipulation will kill the innocents if they can't find the traitors in time. Fans all around the world may look forward to an exciting and suspenseful viewing of The Traitors in its Indian rendition.

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Karan Johar’s enthusiasm for the show

Karan Johar, the show's host, stated that The Traitors is one of the most watched reality series, with its popularity growing all over the world as the audience laps up the riveting drama and entertainment, adding another feather to his cap. Now that he has seen both the British and American versions, the filmmaker loves the format and finds Alan Cumming and Claudia Winkleman, the hosts of the presentations, to be absolutely remarkable. Their dramatic and elegant performances keep the audience captivated. His connection with Prime Video has been tremendously fruitful, and KJo is ecstatic to be hosting the show in India. The 20 contestants on the show, with him lurking in the background, are in for a thrilling and unexpected adventure.

Nikhil Madhok, Head of Originals, Prime Video, India, shared that their unscripted original library, which includes critically acclaimed shows like Angry Young Men and Follow Kar Lo Yaar, among many others, has experienced exponential growth in consumption, attention, and appreciation. 

The Traitors is a major step forward for Prime Video as they continue to bring you unscripted entertainment that is both captivating and simple to binge. This one-of-a-kind reality show concept has captivated viewers from all over the world, speaking all kinds of languages. For a program of this caliber, a captivating host is essential. It is with much pleasure that they welcome Karan Johar as their new host and showrunner. The show would be far more exciting and entertaining with him at the helm. To offer the show's Indian translation to their audience—who they believe would truly love this format—they are thrilled to cooperate with All3Media International, IDTV, RTL, and BBC Studios India Productions.

International success and awards for The Traitors

Marc Pos, Jasper Hoogendoorn, IDTV's creative director, and the RTL Creative Unit collaborated to design and develop The Traitors (Dutch: De Verraders). With over 25 adaptations and multiple returning seasons, the format has proven its international appeal since its 2021 start on RTL 4 in the Netherlands. Both the Emmy-winning US version for Peacock, NBC Universal's streaming service, and the BAFTA-winning UK version, BBC One, have successfully adapted the formula internationally. The latter attracted eight million viewers for the season 2 finale. Season three is planned for the US versions, while a fourth season and a celebrity version are planned for the UK versions.

K7 recently selected The Traitors, a ratings smash that has won multiple awards, as 2024's format of the year, and it also won the International Format Award for Best Host of a Television Format from C21. In the past, "De Verraders"—the Dutch adaptation—won the "Golden Rose" Rose d'Or for finest reality and factual entertainment.

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