The show that turned "dhokha" into must-watch television is back. The Traitors, Prime Video India's breakout reality hit, returns for its second season on August 13, with host Karan Johar once again presiding over the ultimate game of trust, betrayal and deception at the majestic Suryagarh Palace in Jaisalmer.
If you haven't caught up with Season 1 yet—or want a refresher before the new episodes begin — here's everything you need to know.
'The Traitors' Season 2: Release date and where to watch
Season 2 of The Traitors premieres on August 13, 2026, exclusively on Prime Video. New episodes will drop every Thursday.
What is 'The Traitors' about?
The Traitors is a psychological reality game show where a group of celebrities competes to win a substantial prize pot—but not everyone is playing fair.
At the start of the game, host Karan Johar secretly designates a small group of players as "Traitors." The rest are "Innocents." The Traitors' goal is to eliminate the Innocents without getting caught. The Innocents must identify and vote out the Traitors before it's too late. Each day, players complete team missions to build up the prize money. Each night, the Traitors convene secretly to "murder" an Innocent—who is then immediately eliminated. By the following morning, the remaining players only know that someone is missing from the breakfast table.
Each night players gather at the "Circle of Shaq," where all players gather to debate and vote to banish whoever they believe is a Traitor. When the final group decides unanimously to end the game, the surviving players reveal their true identities. If all remaining players are Innocents, they split the prize. If even one Traitor survives, they take everything.
Who hosts 'The Traitors'?
Karan Johar returns as host for Season 2. The filmmaker, producer, and talk show host helmed the first season to wide acclaim, with critics noting his ability to stoke tension at the Circle of Shaq while keeping the drama theatrical and compelling. His persona proves a natural fit for a show built entirely on performance and paranoia.
Who are the players in 'The Traitors' Season 2?
Season 2 features 21 celebrity contestants drawn from Bollywood, television, music, comedy, and digital media. The full cast includes: Aaditya Kulshreshth, Abhishek Malhan, Ansh Chopra, Dalip Tahil, Harman Singha, Ikka Singh, Karan Singh Magic, Krystle D'souza, Mallika Sherawat, Munawar Faruqui, Parul Gulati, Prish, Ranveer Brar, Rhea Chakraborty, Rida Tharana, Sahil Salathia, Shahneel Gill, Shalini Passi,Shweta Tiwari, Soundous Moufakir, Tanya Puri.
What happened in Season 1?
Season 1 premiered on June 12, 2025, and ran for 10 episodes, concluding on July 3. The season was filmed at Suryagarh Palace in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, and brought together 20 celebrities from Bollywood, television, music, sport, and digital media.
Three contestants were secretly designated as Traitors at the start: Raj Kundra, Elnaaz Norouzi, and Purav Jha. Stand-up comedian Harsh Gujral was later brought in as a Traitor through a mid-season blackmail twist. In the finale, poker player Nikita Luther and content creator Uorfi Javed, both Innocents, were crowned joint winners. In a memorable moment at the end, Uorfi chose to give her share of the winnings to Nikita.
The full Season 1 cast included: Sahil Salathia, Raj Kundra, Lakshmi Manchu, Karan Kundrra, Mukesh Chhabra, Maheep Kapoor, Ashish Vidyarthi, Raftaar, Janvi Gaur, Elnaaz Norouzi, Sufi Motiwala, Anshula Kapoor, Jannat Zubair, Apoorva Mukhija, Jasmin Bhasin, Purav Jha, Sudhanshu Pandey, Harsh Gujral, Nikita Luther, and Uorfi Javed.
Who produced 'The Traitors' Season 2?
Season 2 is produced by Dharmatic Entertainment, the digital content arm of Dharma Productions. The production company has previously delivered titles such as Call Me Bae and Love Storiyaan for Prime Video. Season 1 was produced by BBC Studios India.
What can audiences expect from Season 2?
According to the show's producers, Season 2 raises the stakes with sharper gameplay, more intense psychological warfare, and a bigger celebrity lineup than the first season. "With season two, the stakes are higher, the gameplay is sharper, the drama is more intense, and the new line-up of players will keep audiences on the edge of their seats at every turn," says Nikhil Madhok, Director and Head of Originals, Prime Video India.
Is 'The Traitors' based on an international format?
Yes. The Traitors is the Indian adaptation of "De Verraders," a Dutch format created by Marc Pos and Jasper Hoogendoorn for IDTV. The format has won both BAFTA and Emmy Awards and has been adapted across more than 40 territories worldwide—including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and France—making it one of the fastest-growing reality formats in the world. The Indian version is licensed through All3Media International, the global distributor of the franchise.
