Indian dating reality show MTV Splitsvilla has secured a place as one of the most popular reality dating shows in India. Now, it’s returning with its 16th iteration, Splitsvilla X6: Pyaar ya Paisa. The show has touched on concepts of love and relationships, as well as competition between young performers.
This season applies a new twist of forcing contestants to make choices between emotional connections and financial rewards. The main idea of the season is that every relationship decision can affect survival in the game. This change is expected to make the show more strategy-based along with romance and drama.
Splitsvilla X6 Start Date and Schedule
The official release date of Splitsvilla X6 is 9 January 2026. Additionally, this season the show will have a thrice weekly broadcast schedule for the first time, meaning you can consume episodes faster than ever before.
- The episodes will be broadcast on MTV India at 7 PM IST on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Episodes will stream on JioCinema (though listed as JioHotstar in some places)
This new schedule allows faster eliminations, quicker task results, and continuous drama without long gaps between episodes.
Who Will Host Splitsvilla X6?
Splitsvilla X6 will be hosted by two well-known faces from Indian television:
- Sunny Leone returns as the “Queen of Hearts.” This marks nearly a decade of her association with Splitsvilla. She is known for guiding contestants emotionally while also being strict during rule-breaking situations.
- Karan Kundrra joins as the “King of Hearts.” It is Yamini’s first time as host of Splitsvilla, though he has appeared on other MTV reality shows. He’s expected to inject a more no-frills, competitive format experience. Apart from the leading hosts, there are Mischief Makers in the season whose task is to shake up the game.
- Nia Sharma, or So Says She right now – participating in Splitsvilla for the first time, is a bold and strong contender.
- Uorfi Javed returns as a troublemaker, known for unexpected entries, blunt opinions, and game-changing twists.
Their role includes interrupting connections, changing task rules, and making the contestants’ journey unpredictable.
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From When Will Splitsvilla 16 Start? – Confirmed Premiere Details
Splitsvilla Season 16 will premiere on January 9, 2026. For this edition, they’ve made a major scheduling overhaul to a Friday-to-Sunday format. It sounds, actually, like a smart thing to do — keep people watching all the way through the weekend. This season was shot in Chennai, primarily at the Chariot Beach Resort in Mahabalipuram.
Here’s a thing to remember as well: we’re definitely looking at an unusual stand-out from the show’s traditional villa location. Instead, they’ve opted for a beachside setting, which I expect will deliver more expansive locations, an array of outdoor challenges, and a genuinely refreshed visual presentation.
The season is presented by Instax Fujifilm and co-powered by Sofy, NEWME, and Envy Perfumes, which means viewers can expect branded tasks and sponsor-based challenges during episodes.
Rumored Contestants and Early Buzz
As of December 2025, the official contestant list has not been released. However, some names are being discussed based on industry sources and social media activity.
Some rumored contestants include:
- Kushal Tanwar – Roadies winner and fitness influencer
- Shubhangi Jaiswal – Social media creator
Other names that are being speculated online include Devanshi Doshi, Anushka Ghosh, Asmita Adhikari, Kyra Anu, Niharika Mena, Ruchii Chettri, Angelina Marwein, and Andrea Kevichusa.
The “Pyaar ya Paisa” theme means contestants will often have to decide whether to protect their connection or choose money or power advantages. These decisions can affect task results, eliminations, and final pairings.
Trailer and Promotional Highlights
The official trailer came out in the very beginning of December 2025, showcasing the challenges set up on the beach, as well as main theme of the season which revolves around choosing between love or money.
The show is being anchored by none other than Sunny Leone and Karan Kundra. Paired opposite them are Nia Sharma and Urfi Javed, who make brief appearances in the promos too adding to the chaos with some unexpected turns. And what does it all mean? Judging by this season, it’s not really about sweet romance. Instead, the promo points toward a game heavily focused on strategy, backstabbing, and emotional gamesmanship.
Where to Watch Splitsvilla X6?
- Television: MTV India at 7 PM IST (Friday to Sunday)
- Streaming: JioCinema / JioHotstar, where episodes are expected to be available after TV broadcast, along with possible extra clips or behind-the-scenes content
Final Overview
Splitsvilla X6: Pyaar ya Paisa combines relationships with finances for the first time in the show’s history and is thus going to be more complicated than previous seasons. This season is going to focus on emotional strategy and with a new air time, fresh location, experienced hosts, and an even an even more twist centric theme than before.
The show will air starting January 9, 2026, and will focus on providing love, competition, emotional strategy, and decision making equally to the viewers, setting it apart from its previous seasons.