The Traitors (Indian TV series)
| The Traitors | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Based on | |
| Presented by | Karan Johar |
| Country of origin | India |
| Original language | Hindi |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 21 |
| Production | |
| Production location | Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 75+ minutes |
| Production companies | BBC Studios India (season 1) Dharmatic Entertainment (season 2) |
| Original release | |
| Network | Amazon Prime Video |
| Release | 12 June 2025 – present |
The Traitors (known as The Traitors India outside India)[1] is an Indian reality competition series streaming on Prime Video, based on the Dutch series De Verraders.[2] Hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar, the series premiered on 12 June 2025.[3][4]
Following the premise of De Verraders, the show features a group of contestants participating in a game similar to Mafia or Werewolf, where an informed minority (known as the "Traitors") must eliminate an uninformed majority (known as the "Innocents") to win. Meanwhile, the "Innocents" are tasked to discover the "Traitors" and vote them out of the game in order to win. The series is filmed in and around Suryagarh Palace.
Format
[edit]A group of contestants arrive at the palace in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan with hopes of winning a large cash prize of ₹1 crore that is built up through missions. The players are referred to as the "Innocents", but among them are the "Traitors" — a group of contestants secretly selected by the host. If the Innocents eliminate all the Traitors, they will share the prize fund. However, if any Traitors manage to make it to the end, eliminating the Innocents, they win the entire prize money.
The contestants participate in missions to build up their cash prize. In some missions, any contestant may also win a ‘shield’ that grants them immunity from the subsequent murder.
On most nights, The Traitors meet in a secret tower to decide on an Innocent contestant to ‘murder,’ who is then immediately eliminated from the game. The remaining Innocents are unaware of who has been eliminated until the following morning, when that person fails to appear at the breakfast table in the castle.
At the end of each day, the players gather at the ‘Circle of Shaq,’ where they discuss whom to vote out before individually casting their votes. Players vote privately, then reveal their choices one by one, often giving a brief rationale for their decision. The player who receives the most votes is banished from the game and reveals their affiliation. If during the game the number of ‘Traitors’ drops to two, they are given the choice to recruit an Innocent to join them instead of murdering.
After the final Circle of Shaq, the remaining players participate in the End Game. The group are given an opportunity to end the game by unanimous vote. Any vote to continue will lead to another immediate banishment vote. When a unanimous decision is reached to end the game — or when there are only two players left — the remaining players reveal their affiliation. If all remaining players are Innocents, then the prize money is divided evenly among them. However, if any Traitors remain, they win the entire prize money.[5][6]
Production
[edit]The first official teaser was posted on Prime Video's social media on 17 September 2024, announcing that filming had begun. Later on 30 May 2025, the official trailer of season 1 was released with the premiere date of 12 June 2025.[7]
On 25 June 2026, the show was renewed for a second season.[8] The first teaser was released on 27 July 2026, which revealed the premiere date of 13 August 2026, and the first two contestants joining the show, comedian Munawar Faruqui and actress Mallika Sherawat.[9][10]
Expansion
[edit]The success of the first season of led to the development of a Telugu-language adaptation, The Traitors Telugu. The series was announced by Amazon Prime Video in March 2026 as part of its 2026 Indian programming slate. It is produced by SOL Productions and features actor Teja Sajja as the host. The series is scheduled to premiere on Amazon Prime Video in late 2026 and will feature 20 celebrity contestants.[11]
Episodes
[edit]Series overview
[edit]| Season | Contestants | Episodes | Originally released | Winner(s) | Prize | Traitors | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||||||
| 1 | 20 | 10 | June 12, 2025 | July 3, 2025 | Nikita Luther Uorfi Javed | ₹70,05,000 | Elnaaz Norouzi Purav Jha Raj Kundra Harsh Gujral (from ep. 8) | |
| 2 | 21 | 11 | August 13, 2026 | September 9, 2026 | Krystle D'Souza Rida Tharana | ₹66,00,000 | Aaditya "Kullu" Kulshreshth Harman Singha Krystle D'Souza Shahneel Gill (from ep. 2) Rida Tharana (from ep. 8) | |
Season 1
[edit]| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Episode 1" | 12 June 2025 |
| 2 | 2 | "Episode 2" | 12 June 2025 |
| 3 | 3 | "Episode 3" | 12 June 2025 |
| 4 | 4 | "Episode 4" | 19 June 2025 |
| 5 | 5 | "Episode 5" | 19 June 2025 |
| 6 | 6 | "Episode 6" | 19 June 2025 |
| 7 | 7 | "Episode 7" | 26 June 2025 |
| 8 | 8 | "Episode 8" | 26 June 2025 |
| 9 | 9 | "Episode 9" | 26 June 2025 |
| 10 | 10 | "Episode 10" | 3 July 2025 |
Season 2
[edit]| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "Episode 1" | August 13, 2026 |
| 12 | 2 | "Episode 2" | August 13, 2026 |
| 13 | 3 | "Episode 3" | August 13, 2026 |
| 14 | 4 | "Episode 4" | August 20, 2026 |
| 15 | 5 | "Episode 5" | August 20, 2026 |
| 16 | 6 | "Episode 6" | August 20, 2026 |
| 17 | 7 | "Episode 7" | August 27, 2026 |
| 18 | 8 | "Episode 8" | August 27, 2026 |
| 19 | 9 | "Episode 9" | August 27, 2026 |
| 20 | 10 | "Episode 10" | September 3, 2026 |
| 21 | 11 | "Reunion" | September 9, 2026 |
Reception
[edit]Critical reception
[edit]A review in India Today praised the show’s glamorous setting and Karan Johar’s hosting style.[12]
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Asian Academy Creative Awards | Best Adaptation of an Existing Format (Non Scripted) | The Traitors season 1 | Won | [13] |
| Best Direction (Non-Fiction) | Nishant Nayak | National Winner (India) | |||
| Best Entertainment Host | Karan Johar | Won | |||
| Best Original Production by a Streamer (Non-Fiction) | The Traitors season 1 | National Winner (India) |
International broadcast
[edit]In Australia, the series became available to stream on 10 Play in October 2025, as a companion to the Australian version broadcast by the network. The series was presented with English subtitles.[14]
In the United Kingdom, the series began broadcasting on BBC Three and became available to stream on BBC iPlayer on 30 April 2026. It was broadcast by the BBC, which also airs the British version.[15]
References
[edit]- ↑ "BBC To Stream Indian Version of 'The Traitors'". Deadline.
- ↑ "Prime Video unveils the trailer of its biggest reality show, 'The Traitors', premiering June 12". About Amazon India. 23 May 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
- ↑ "Karan Johar to Host Indian Adaptation of 'The Traitors' for Prime Video". Variety. 16 September 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
- ↑ "Prime Video reality series 'The Traitors' to premiere on June 12". theprint.in. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
- ↑ "BBC One – The Traitors – The Traitors: How the Show Works". BBC. Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
- ↑ Amazon Staff (2026). "Everything you need to know about 'The Traitors': release date, full cast, format". About Amazon India. Amazon. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- ↑ "Prime Video sparks intrigue with cryptic billboard campaign for 'The Traitors' launch". Mediabrief. 16 May 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
- ↑ "'The Traitors' set to return for season 2 following a phenomenal debut". Times Entertainment. 25 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ↑ "The Traitors Season 2 Gets Release Date, Munawar Faruqui And Mallika Sherawat Confirmed As Contestants". NDTV. 27 July 2026. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
- ↑ "The Traitors Season 2: Karan Johar reveals release date, first two contestants". India Today. 27 July 2026. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
- ↑ Aditya (19 March 2026). "The Traitors Telugu: Teja Sajja to Host Prime Video Reality Show". TrackTollywood. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ↑ "The Traitors review: Bigg Boss meets Roadies in Karan Johar's luxe reality show". India Today. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ↑ "2025 Grand Final Winners". Asian Academy Creative Awards. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- ↑ "The Traitors India". 10.com.au. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- ↑ "The Traitors – Episodes Guide". BBC. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
