News Broadcasting
Zee News ropes in Munish Makhija for election spoof
MUMBAI: Zee News has roped in VJ turned actor Munish Makhija to play the lead role in its election special comedy spoof Vote for Chaudhary.
Chaudhary, a character being played by Makhija will play pranks on election-related activities.
Conceived, ideated and directed by Zee News senior producer Pankaj Shukla, Vote for Chaudhary is a show that will showcase harsh realties of today’s politics in a hilarious way.
Says Zee News editor Alka Saxena, “We have been looking for an ideal actor for the show as the idea was hatched long before the elections were announced in the three states. In fact we have been working on the idea since the Maharastra election and in Munish Makhija we got all the nuances that were required for the character.”
The concept: Chaudhary, the famous booth capturer of Mayhem in Haryana is hell bent to teach a lesson to all those politicians who have been using his services so far but denied his share of power in politics. Chaudhary is fighting for state assembly of Haryana in the programme. He plays a spoofs the big leaders and tries to prove his point to the voters as he is the only option left for them in the current scenario.
Chaudhary runs his publicity campaign from a hide out in a cow shed located near a highway in Haryana and is aptly assisted by his close associate Mundu. As the election progresses, Chaudhary’s demand keeps on increasing. He gets calls for booth capturing from Bihar and Jharkhand as well, but his focus this time is only to get a seat for himself and win the majority with ‘buffalo trading’.
Vote for Chaudhary will be aired 17 January to 4 February (Monday to Friday) on different time bands starting from 7 am to 10 pm on Zee News.
News Broadcasting
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.
