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Suvarna TV to strengthen 6.30 pm band with new fiction show
BENGALURU: Star Network’s Kannada general entertainment channel (GEC) Suvrana TV is all set to launch a new fiction show titled Pretthi Endarenu. The channel is looking at strengthening its 6.30 pm time band with the new show, which will be aired from Monday to Saturday.
The half an hour show will go on air from 25 May and will replace Ambari, which had a 250 episode run.
Pretthi Endarenu is a story of two young people in love. The couple are childhood friends. The story begins when the male lead Abhishek returns home with a degree from abroad to find Preethi all grown up.
Suvarna TV has roped in film actors Jahnavi Kamath and Shrunga to play the lead roles in the serial. The duo had acted in the Kannada movie Parrari directed by Chaitanya KM, who is also the director of Pretthi Endarenu. Other notable movies by Chaitanya KM include his debut film, a cult classic, Aa Dingalu that won the Filmfare award for best film and best director.
The title track of Pretthi Endarenu was written by Rashtrakavi (National poet) G S Shivardrappa and was composed about 24 years ago by S R Ramakrishnah. Sharath Lohitawasa debuts his singing career with the tile track of the soap.
Suvarna TV business head Anup Chandrsekharan said, “Our viewers have given a wonderful response to the initial promos and we are excited to reach a wider audience during early primetime through Pretthi Endarenu and strengthen our time band.”
“We keep a bank of 10-15 episodes of each program with us. We have enough content now to run Pretthi Endarenu through 250 to 400 episodes and then depending upon the audience response, we could run the show even longer,” added Suvarna TV head of programming Sudheendhra.
“We generally allocate anything from 60 to 120 seconds per half hour for each sponsor, depending upon the nature of the deal we’ve signed,” a source from the channel told Indiantelevision.com.
Suvarna has managed to rope in Wipro’s Santoor brand as the title sponsor and GRS Fantasy Park as the ‘powered by’ sponsor. Each 30 minute episode will have a runtime of 23 minutes plus six minutes of ad time and one minute of promos.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
