R Madhavan will host Game Changers, a new global business reality format by Optimystix Entertainment featuring startup founders and international investors.
Entertainment desk
October 05, 2026 / 15:54 IST
At its core, Game Changers will focus on startup founders from across the world as they pitch their businesses to an international panel of investors.
R Madhavan is set to take on a new role as the host of Game Changers, an upcoming global business reality format produced by Optimystix Entertainment India Limited. The show is an original format created by Optimystix and will bring together entrepreneurship, investment and entertainment.
Production for the show is scheduled to begin shortly. At its core, Game Changers will focus on startup founders from across the world as they pitch their businesses to an international panel of investors.
The investor panel will include representatives from Dubai, London, Russia, and the United States, and it has a global feel. The show seeks to go beyond just the business pitch, looking at the people and the stories behind the ventures.
Vipul D Shah, Founder and Chairman of Optimystix Entertainment, spoke about the company’s plans for the format and said, “Game Changers is being developed as a future-facing global entertainment franchise, for Optimystix which is more than a new show. It is an owned IP with the potential to travel across markets, attract marquee brand partnerships and create multiple monetisation streams over time. We are combining our proven expertise in creating mass-audience entertainment with a format that speaks directly to the global energy around entrepreneurship, innovation and investment.”
Rajesh Bahl, Co-Founder and Group CEO, highlighted the human side of the format and added, “The format goes beyond a conventional pitch show. It spotlights the ambition, resilience, strategy and personal conviction behind promising businesses while giving audiences an inside view of what it takes to build, fund and scale a company in today’s competitive global economy.”
Dubai was selected as the launchpad for the franchise. Its status as an international business hub will ensure the series’ reach and access to founders, investors, and networks.
As per the makers, the UAE iteration is intended to be the launchpad for the global franchise. The show’s format can potentially be adapted into different regional adaptations, dubbed versions, formats, language localisations, and digital content.
With Madhavan as the host, the show is expected to bring together the world of business and mainstream entertainment. Known for his work across Hindi and South Indian cinema, the actor is also expected to bring a different perspective to the conversations surrounding the founders and their ventures.
On the work front, R Madhavan was last seen in the Tamil biographical drama G.D.N., based on the life of G.D. Naidu. The film is currently streaming on Netflix. As per reports, Madhavan will next be seen in filmmaker R Balki’s upcoming untitled Tamil film, which also stars Vidya Balan.
Entertainment desk Entertainment Desk at Moneycontrol reports on the celebrities, movies that shape India’s entertainment industry. With a sharp focus on cinema, OTT, web series, and latest trends, the entertainment desk delivers verified news, and analytical stories that place entertainment within a wider economic and cultural context. Our coverage goes beyond celebrity to examine how storytelling, audiences and business decisions influence one of the country’s most influential creative industries.
first published: Oct 5, 2026 03:54 pm
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