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Viacom’s CEO visits Dubai International Film Festival
MUMBAI: The second editon of the on-going Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), organised by the Dubai Media City, was attended by Viacom chairman and chief executive officer Sumner Redstone and noted Bollywood filmaker Subhash Ghai amongst others.
Redstone last visited Dubai fives year ago. He meet with the top executives at Showtime, a leading digital satellite pay TV network in the Middle East, of which Viacom is a shareholder, according to media reports.
Viacoms stable of global brands such as CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon and Vh1 have their presence in the Middle East through Showtime.
Showtime is the official broadcaster and a Gold sponsor of the DIFF. As part of the partnership with DIFF, Showtime has launched a free-to-air 24-hour channel called DIFF TV, which provides comprehensive information and coverage of all the major red carpet events, as well as behind-the-scenes interviews with the actors, producers and directors of the movies being shown during DIFF 2005.
Amongst the others were Hollywood actors Morgan Freeman, Laurence Fishburne, Hugh Dancy, Terence Stamp, actress Diane Kruger and also the Canadian-based filmmaker Deepa Mehta.
At the film festival, 98 movies from 46 countries will be showcased over the week, starting from 11 to 17 December. The second edition also includes new sections in films focusing on cinema from Africa, Europe and East Asia, an expanded palette of Arab cinema and a special programme dedicated to young and upcoming UAE filmmakers.
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Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
