Mumbai: Hindi news broadcaster Aaj Tak has sparked industry-wide buzz with its latest innovation—revealing that Black & White, its flagship prime-time show, will be hosted by none other than Anjana Om Kashyap and her AI clone. The channel confirmed the development on Monday, following a weekend-long teaser campaign that left audiences intrigued and speculating on what was to come.
The promos, which began airing Saturday, set the tone for something unconventional. One of them cryptically posed the question:
“Kaun hai woh? Jo dikh rahi hai, ya koi aur?”
Another teased:
“Ek chehra, do andaaz. Aisa show, jo duniya ne ab tak nahi dekha.”
These cryptic lines, paired with a visual palette introducing red into the traditionally monochrome theme of Black & White, hinted at a technological twist—culminating in Monday’s full reveal of Anjana Om Kashyap sharing the screen with her AI twin.
In the latest promotional video, Kashyap is shown reacting with amusement upon encountering her digital clone—fueling speculation that she may be playing a dual role in the show: as a live anchor and as an AI-assisted host.
The channel has not yet revealed the specifics of how the AI version will function—whether as a co-anchor, real-time analyst, or a storytelling assistant. However, the format appears to be designed to push the boundaries of traditional news broadcasting by blending human insight with artificial intelligence.
Aaj Tak, part of the India Today Group, has a history of innovation in the Hindi news space. In 2023, it launched Sana, India’s first AI news anchor. With Black & White, the channel seems poised to take that innovation even further, now placing a seasoned human anchor and her digital counterpart side by side in a primetime slot.
Anjana Om Kashyap, Managing Editor at Aaj Tak, has been a central figure in Indian journalism for more than 20 years. Known for her forthright interview style and hard-hitting socio-political coverage on shows like Halla Bol, her dual appearance in Black & White marks a first in her storied career—and a first for Indian news.
As anticipation builds ahead of the 9 PM premiere, the question on everyone’s mind remains:
“Is it Anjana, or her AI double—or both—leading the conversation?”
