Need some drama with your lunch? Prime Video has you covered. Kunal Kemmu is at the helm of Alliance, a Hindi show that comes out in your feed from June 26 on. You can count on some quick turns of events and a no-holds-barred kind of race that reboots at noon. And you can watch it here in India or in any of the 240 countries and territories where we stream.
Why this is making waves
Don’t be fooled into thinking this is just one more face in the crowd. Prime Video is touting it as their first daily series anywhere in the world, made to be a habit. For 42 episodes, they are putting their money on a kind of ruthless pace to get you in on it. They’ve timed the whole thing to the hype of Amazon Prime Day’s 10th in India this July. A fresh episode comes in at 12, right when you’re in the middle of your scroll-and-share routine if you’re a Discover user.
The game in play
\You have 16 contestants coming in as pairs, but the name says it: an alliance is only as good as the moment. Nothing is set in stone. The format is built on some hard-nosed challenges and the occasional backstab until there’s a single winner left standing. This is the first time we’re seeing the Indian version of the Dutch original from John de Mol and Talpa Studios, with Banijay Asia behind the production. They’ll tell you it’s as much about tactics as it is to look good on camera. Deepak Dhar of Banijay Asia puts it down to the ebb and flow of strategy and showmanship. It is meant to be a strain on you and the players alike. Dhar says they are being put through the wringer in every way, with each round opening up new avenues and dead ends. It is what it is: dynamic and hard to predict.
Kunal Kemmu in the hot seat
It’s a new hat for Kemmu to wear. He’s been the one stealing scenes with his timing and ability to move from a laugh to a thriller in a heartbeat, but as a host of a reality show, he’s untried. We figure his off-the-cuff style will be needed when things get heated and tempers run high. Nikhil Madhok, who runs Originals over at Prime Video India, says the show is tailor-made for you to get into it day in and day out. He calls it a first for the subcontinent, where the loyalties and the rules of the game are always in flux. They are also on a roll with unscripted content. If the way people have taken to The Traitors India or Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle is any indication, there is an appetite for something a bit different. Alliance is in the running to keep that going.
How to plan for it
For those who prefer their TV in bite-sized pieces, we’ve put together a schedule with no lulls and no weekend-only rules. Just a mid-day reset: – When it starts: June 26 – How many: 42 in all, across six weeks – Time of day: 12 noon, rain or shine – In the chair: Kunal Kemmu – The field: 16, in duos – Where it’s from: The De Mol/Talpa Studios formula – Made by: Banijay Asia – Watchable in: 240+ countries and territories, including India
What to make of it all
You can plan your day around it again. The kind of tension you find in Alliance is in the space between a word given and a word taken, so you can expect some of it to be a little painful. We’ve put a spin on it for the Indian viewer to make for some good social media fodder.
Prime Video is not shy about calling it kalesh, and the way the game is set up, you can see why. If they put as much on the line as they say they will, 12 o’clock won’t feel like a chore, it will be an event. In the end, it’s one or none. Alliances will be your friend and then they won’t. But for us in the audience, it’s an easy way to pass the afternoon: to see who is still in the ring and who has been put in their place.
