The upcoming Indian reality show The Traitors, hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar, has come under sharp public scrutiny even before its release. Slated to premiere on Prime Video on June 9, the show has triggered a wave of criticism following the trailer’s release, with many questioning both its content and purpose.
Harsh online reactions to trailer
Karan Johar, known for his flamboyant hosting style, unveiled the trailer of The Traitors on Instagram. However, the audience response has been overwhelmingly negative. Social media users flooded the comments section, expressing frustration over what they describe as repetitive and unoriginal content.
One user bluntly commented, “Indians are fed up with seeing content like this! Same thing, old wine in a new bottle.” Another questioned the very need for the show, writing, “Why is this being released to the public?”
Critics on Instagram did not hold back, labelling the show “annoying” and “a destruction of Indian values.” A particularly scathing remark read, “If one has even a little bit of sensitivity and sensibility left, they shouldn’t watch this.” One user even likened the show to a distorted version of the classic Indian game Raja Mantri Chor Sipahi.
Format and contestant lineup
The Traitors is the Indian adaptation of a globally popular format where 20 contestants are placed in a palace. A few among them are secretly designated as ‘Traitors’ by the host. Their objective is to eliminate the ‘Innocents’ without revealing their identity.
Each day involves team challenges to build the prize money, while every night, the Traitors covertly eliminate one contestant. At the end of each episode, all players gather for a Round Table to vote out who they believe is a Traitor. The game ends with either the Innocents identifying all Traitors or the remaining Traitor(s) taking home the full prize.
The show features a high-profile and eclectic mix of personalities, including:
Karan Kundrra, Jasmin Bhasin, Raftaar, Raj Kundra, Uorfi Javed, Jannat Zubair, Elvish Yadav, Sumukhi Suresh, Mukesh Chhabra, Anshula Kapoor, Sahil Salathia, Harsh Gujral, Sufi Motiwala, Nikita Luther, Ashish Vidyarthi, Maheep Kapoor, Apoorva Mukhija (Rebel Kid), Purav Jha, Sudhanshu Pandey and Elnaaz Norouzi.
Release details
The Traitors will begin streaming on Prime Video starting June 9, with new episodes dropping every Thursday at 8 PM.