Shivani Shankar has joined Endemol Shine India as Vice President and Head of Content (Unscripted). Known for helming hit shows like India’s Best Dancer, Dance Deewane, and India’s Got Talent, she will lead the company’s unscripted content strategy, driving innovation and expanding its reality entertainment portfolio across TV and digital platforms.
Shivani Shankar has joined Endemol Shine India as Vice President and Head of Content (Unscripted). Known for her creative leadership and track record of delivering high-impact reality formats, Shivani’s appointment marks a powerful addition to the production powerhouse’s creative leadership team.
A seasoned television professional, Shivani Shankar has spent over a decade shaping some of India’s most successful and beloved reality shows. Her impressive portfolio includes iconic titles such as India’s Best Dancer, Dance Deewane, Super Dancer, and India’s Got Talent — each a household name that has defined prime-time entertainment and discovered some of the country’s most celebrated performers.
From choreographed perfection to heartwarming backstories, Shivani has mastered the art of crafting unscripted content that resonates with mass audiences. Her creative approach has always blended emotion, energy, and authenticity — key ingredients that have made India’s reality shows not just popular, but culturally significant.
Colleagues describe her as a dynamic showrunner who combines deep understanding of viewer sentiment with an instinct for innovation. Her leadership has consistently delivered high TRPs, memorable storytelling, and powerful contestant journeys that have kept audiences hooked week after week.
At Endemol Shine India, Shivani’s new role as VP & Head of Content (Unscripted) will see her overseeing the development and execution of the company’s reality and non-fiction slate. Endemol Shine India — a Banijay company — is the force behind some of the biggest entertainment formats on Indian television, including Bigg Boss, MasterChef India, and Khatron Ke Khiladi.
With the addition of Shivani Shankar, the company aims to further expand its unscripted content strategy — introducing new formats, strengthening existing franchises, and embracing the rapidly evolving OTT landscape.
Industry insiders say her entry comes at a time when unscripted entertainment is undergoing a renaissance, with audiences seeking more immersive, emotionally charged, and socially relevant storytelling. Her expertise in creative production and talent management positions her perfectly to lead this next wave of innovation.
Reality television has long been one of the most vibrant genres in Indian entertainment, but it is also one that constantly reinvents itself. Today’s audiences demand more than glamour and competition — they seek connection, authenticity, and inspiration. Shivani Shankar’s career reflects an understanding of that evolution.
From nurturing on-screen talent to curating memorable judge–contestant dynamics, her storytelling sensibility bridges the gap between reality and relatability. Under her creative vision, shows like Dance Deewane and India’s Best Dancer became emotional journeys — celebrating resilience, self-expression, and human stories that transcended the stage.
At Endemol Shine India, she is expected to build on that ethos — combining mass appeal with meaningful narratives, and balancing entertainment with innovation.
The appointment also aligns with Endemol Shine India’s ambition to expand its digital-first and format-driven portfolio, tapping into new-age audiences who consume content across platforms. With Shivani’s creative leadership, the company is expected to develop both original formats and fresh Indian adaptations of successful global franchises.
According to industry observers, this move signals a renewed emphasis on content leadership — one that puts storytelling, emotion, and originality at the heart of unscripted entertainment.
“Shivani brings with her a deep understanding of what makes India’s audience tick,” noted a senior media executive. “She’s not just a producer; she’s a storyteller who knows how to capture the human spirit. Her arrival at Endemol Shine India is likely to reshape the future of unscripted programming in the country.”
Known for her collaborative leadership style, Shivani has consistently built strong creative teams and fostered inclusive work environments that nurture new talent — both on and off camera. Her approach combines artistic intuition with a data-driven understanding of audience behavior, a mix that’s increasingly essential in today’s fragmented media landscape.
Her appointment also reflects the growing prominence of women leaders in India’s media and entertainment industry — a space where creative decision-making is now as much about empathy as it is about innovation.
With Shivani Shankar now leading the unscripted content division, Endemol Shine India is poised to further strengthen its leadership in the reality entertainment segment. From reimagining flagship shows to creating new intellectual properties, the focus will be on pushing creative boundaries while staying rooted in emotional storytelling.
As Indian audiences continue to embrace reality formats that mirror their aspirations and emotions, Shivani’s expertise and passion for meaningful entertainment will likely steer Endemol Shine India into an exciting new era.
Her journey from directing dance-based reality hits to helming one of India’s most influential unscripted content divisions is both a personal milestone and an industry statement — a reminder that in the world of entertainment, the most powerful stories are still the ones that feel real.
