Netflix India Announces YouTube Sketch Comedy Talk Show, The Brand New Show

To further market its service in India, Netflix has announced a new YouTube-only variety talk show called “The Brand New Show”, which will also include elements of sketch comedy. Premiering Thursday, October 31, The Brand New Show will air fortnightly — that's every two weeks — with a host and celebrity guests from Netflix original series and films. Sobhita Dhulipala and Kirti Kulhari, who starred in the Shah Rukh Khan-produced espionage action series Bard of Blood, will be the guests on the first episode, with Internet star Kusha Kapila, also part of the upcoming anthology film Ghost Stories — directed by Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Karan Johar, and Dibakar Banerjee — serving as the host.

Per Netflix, The Brand New Show will feature “topical monologues, banterful [sic] conversation, hilarious skits, and puts the spotlight on the country's comedic elite and the biggest stars.” The trailer attempts to give us an idea of what viewers can expect, though it's full of cringe-worthy moments sadly. Each fortnightly episode will be helmed by a new host and has been filmed in front of a live studio audience. Netflix didn't reveal hosts and guest stars for future episodes of The Brand New Show.

As for the sketches in The Brand New Show, they will be put together by Rytasha Rathore (Badho Bahu), Manik Papneja (Baked), Sainee Raj (Stories by Rabindranath Tagore), and Tadpatri Talkies member Aseem Chandaver. In addition to the sketches, Rathore, Papneja, Raj, and Chandaver will also feature in live games on The Brand New Show.

The Brand New Show premieres October 31 at 6:30pm IST on YouTube.