‘The Traitors India’ review: Karan Johar-hosted reality show delivers suspense but lacks emotional depth

How does Karan Johar’s ‘The Traitors India’ stack up against the UK original in suspense and structure?

When The Traitors first premiered in the UK in 2022, it ignited a genre-defining shift in reality television. Hosted by Claudia Winkleman, the show became a national obsession, blending murder-mystery tension with psychological warfare among strangers. The format’s success was immediate, triggering a wave of international versions from the U.S. to Australia, and now India.

Amazon Prime Video’s Indian version swaps Scottish mist for Rajasthani sand, setting the game in a regal Jaisalmer fort. Celebrity filmmaker Karan Johar replaces Winkleman as host. But the gameplay stays true to form: three contestants secretly become “traitors,” eliminating “faithfuls” one by one, while the group collectively tries to vote out the traitors by day. One crore rupees is at stake, and every vote, whisper, and misstep can change the outcome.

This strategic paranoia is what built the UK version’s cult following—and India’s edition is betting on the same formula.

What is the full game format of ‘The Traitors India’ and why does it feel both gripping and repetitive?

The ten-day contest begins with 20 participants entering the palace, unaware of who among them has been assigned the traitor role by Johar. Each night, the traitors eliminate one innocent in secret. Each day, the group votes to “banish” someone they suspect is betraying them.

Interspersed are team tasks that allow players to build the prize pot—currently set at one crore. These challenges temporarily force cooperation in an atmosphere otherwise filled with distrust. That rhythm—task, murder, vote—delivers built-in suspense. Yet for the viewer, who already knows the identity of the traitors, the drama depends entirely on how dynamic and reactive the players are.

That’s where the Indian version falters. While the format is intact, the tension flatlines when the same conversations—who’s lying, who’s bluffing—repeat without variation. Unlike the original, where ordinary people brought unpredictable emotional depth, The Traitors India casts mostly tabloid celebrities. And that decision changes everything.

Why does the show’s celebrity-driven cast undermine its core premise of psychological unraveling?

The UK version’s emotional power came from its diversity: soldiers, teachers, gym instructors, and pensioners navigating trust and betrayal with real-world stakes. In India, the contestants are public figures: Raj Kundra, Urfi Javed, Apoorva Mukhija, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Raftaar among them.

Some of them carry media baggage into the show. But baggage isn’t the same as backstory. There’s little emotional resonance when betrayal strikes, because the players are already performing public personas. Apoorva “The Rebel Kid” Mukhija calling out Kundra as a traitor made viral waves online, but outside of that moment, the group dynamics feel manufactured rather than lived.

Raftaar’s musical charisma and Vidyarthi’s theatrical command remain untapped. No one monologues, no one cracks under pressure, and no one shows the unfiltered vulnerability that made the UK version unforgettable.

How does Karan Johar’s icy neutrality shape the tone of this otherwise emotion-light adaptation?

Surprisingly, Karan Johar delivers one of the show’s biggest wins. Known for his sentimentality and gossip-laden interviews, Johar here is clinical. His tone is measured, even cold, and he avoids inserting himself into the contestants’ drama. That restraint allows the show’s mechanics—trust, betrayal, and mind games—to dominate the screen.

Johar doesn’t play confidant or judge. He administers rules, announces banishments, and keeps emotional distance. His presence adds gravitas without distracting from the stakes. It’s the sharpest tonal shift from his usual roles and suits The Traitors format perfectly.

What are the public reactions to key moments in ‘The Traitors India’ and how is the show trending online?

The most viral moment so far is Apoorva identifying Raj Kundra as a traitor with dead-on instinct—and being immediately validated. It played well on social platforms, generating memes, video shares, and YouTube commentary.

But critical reviews have been more tempered. Several entertainment portals praised the set design and production quality while calling the cast “tame” and the gameplay “predictable.” There’s a growing sentiment that if India wants its own Traitors cultural phenomenon, the show must evolve past formula and into genuine stakes and surprise.

As of mid-June 2025, the show has not yet cracked the OTT buzz index the way other Prime Video reality titles like Bigg Boss OTT or Shark Tank India have. Still, it’s early in the season, and Prime Video appears committed to long-form, high-production reality formats in 2025.

How does ‘The Traitors India’ compare to the broader global franchise and what lessons could be learned?

The original De Verraders format has now been adapted in more than 30 countries. Each version makes cultural adjustments—language, casting, humor, and emotional tone—to fit local audiences. The U.S. version, hosted by Alan Cumming, leaned into camp and dark comedy. The UK version thrived on unpredictability and humility.

The Traitors India could benefit from a similar shift. The show needs emotional grit. It needs character arcs, not celebrity surface. It needs contestants who can cry on camera, crack under accusation, and confess in hushed tones to the wrong person at the wrong time.

The location is a visual triumph. The set design, camera work, and lighting match international standards. But production alone cannot compensate for emotional vacuum. And that, more than any format issue, is what separates the memorable from the forgettable in reality TV.

Can ‘The Traitors India’ still deliver a breakout moment, or will it remain a well-shot imitation?

If The Traitors India continues on its current path, it will likely remain a sleek but shallow version of a global hit. The show has a sturdy foundation—an effective host, top-tier production, and a format that practically scripts tension. But that isn’t enough.

What made the UK version transcendent was the emotional unpredictability. Contestants wept after voting out friends. Others collapsed under guilt. Strategic alliances crumbled with one wrong whisper. That level of vulnerability and risk is still missing from the Indian version.

However, reality shows can evolve mid-season. A new task, a shocking banishment, or a sudden breakdown could trigger the psychological cascade the show is chasing. For now, The Traitors India is polished, promising, and halfway there.

Watch it for the concept, stay if the cast evolves

Karan Johar’s The Traitors India offers a clean, intelligent entry into India’s growing list of reality competition formats. While it stumbles in emotional payoff and relies too heavily on celebrity sheen, the bones of something exceptional remain intact. With tighter editing, more unpredictable casting, and sharper mid-season twists, it could still become appointment viewing.

Until then, it remains the best Indian reality show where you may not root for anyone—but you’ll keep watching anyway.