News Broadcasting
Optimystix inks co-production deal with Belgium’s Kanakna Productions for ‘India Celebrity Express’
MUMBAI: Optimystix Entertainment has been roped in as the Indian producer for India Celebrity Express designed for the Dutch market.
Belgium based Kanakna Productions is expected to license the show in several countries this year. The co-production agreement is just the first in a row of productions of India Celebrity Express for several countries, informs an official release.
“This is a new business opportunity for Optimystix. We get a chance to prove to the rest of the world that Indian producers can match the required international standards for TV production. We expect more co-production opportunities for Optimystix through our partnership with Sparks Network,” says Optimystix Entertainment partner and founder Sanjiv Sharma.
The show features celebrities in a race through India, from the sources of Ganges to the tropical beaches of Kerala. The celebrities in the show are given Rs 100 a day to survive meaning that they have to find means of transportation as well as lodging through the route.
“This is what Sparks Network is all about. We have gathered some of the top producers from all around the world in this network and by collaborating we give each other formats and production opportunities. It’s a great crowd of very talented producers that just love to work together,” says Sparks Network president Nicola Soderlund.
Sparks Network seeks to promote the interests of its 14 member production companies from all over the world. Optimystix is the first production house in Asia to join the network.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
