MTV Splitsvilla 16 Launches With ‘Pyaar Ya Paisa’ Twist: All You Need to Know

Add as a preferred source on Google

India's favourite dating reality show, MTV Splitsvilla, is back for its sixteenth season, promising more drama, romance and strategic twists than ever. Splitsvilla 16, officially titled Splitsvilla X6: Pyaar Ya Paisa (Love or Money), has already kicked off and is capturing viewers' attention with its bold theme and strong cast.

A Bold New Theme: Pyaar Ya Paisa

This year's season introduces a fresh core concept: contestants must constantly struggle between genuine connections and financial gain. The theme, literally Love or Money, challenges participants with choices that test whether they value emotional bonds (dil) or strategic deals (paisa). The promos lean into this idea heavily, with challenges and villa twists designed to spark tough decisions and unpredictable drama.

Hosts & Misfits: Familiar Faces, New Energy

Photo Credit: Google

• Sunny Leone is back in the franchise as the Queen of Hearts, a title she has been known by in previous seasons.
• Karan Kundrra joins her as the King of Hearts, adding charm and punch to his hosting duties.
• Nia Sharma and Uorfi Javed appear as official Mischief Makers, causing drama inside the villa. They bring twists that raise the drama levels for contestants in the villa.

Together, this lineup promises lots of glamour, emotional highs and lows, and moments that will keep fans talking.

Where and When to Watch Splitsvilla 16

The season premiered on 9 January 2026 and airs on MTV India. Episodes drop three times a week: Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7:00 pm IST. If you miss the TV telecast, all episodes become available for streaming on JioHotstar (OTTplay Premium) shortly after.

Contestants: Who's in the Villa?

Season 16 features a big cast with up to 32 contenders, split into two villas - one focused on love and the other on money. The Pyaar Villa introduced 16 contestants in Episode 1. Here's a snapshot of the cast revealed so far:

Top 8 Women (Pyaar Villa)

Photo Credit: Google

• Sadhaaf Shankar (Afghanistan)
• Akanksha Choudhary (Jaipur)
• Anjali (Bangalore)
• Soundharya Shetty (Mangalore)
• Anisha Shinde (Mumbai)
• Diksha Pawar (Gurgaon)
• Simran (Mumbai)
• Suzzane (Mumbai)

Top 8 Men (Pyaar Villa)

• Chakshdeep Singh (Ghaziabad)
• Yogesh (Haldwani)
• Sorab Bedi (Gurgaon)
• Anuj Sharma (Delhi)
• Tayne (South Africa)
• Ayush Sharma (Yavatmal)
• Harshit (Didihat)
• Himanshu Arora (Chandigarh)

But that's only half the story. From episode 2 onwards, the gang from Paisa Villa joins the mix, and 16 new contestants (including Gullu Aka Kushal Tanwar, Aarav Chugh, and Ayush Jamwal) enter the fray, whose agendas could shift more in the direction of gaining riches and strategy than love.

What to Expect This Season

With its Dil vs Deal twist, Splitsvilla 16 aims to shake up the usual dating show formula. Contestants won't just pursue connections; they'll constantly face dilemmas that test their values, friendships, alliances and emotional honesty. Add Nia and Uorfi's mischief-making antics and the picturesque beach backdrop of Mahabalipuram, and you've got a season designed to be unpredictable and engaging.

Why Fans Are Buzzing

Even before its premiere, Splitsvilla 16 had fans speculating about the gameplay, contestants and romantic storylines, and social media has been abuzz since Episode 1 dropped. The mix of personalities, strategic twists and emotional turnabouts keeps the conversation alive on both Instagram and TikTok as viewers pick their favourites and debate who will stay, fall in love or make deals to survive.