News Broadcasting
Bangalore non-Kannada theaters apprehensive over state panel report
BANGALORE: The future seems bleak for non-Kannada film screen if the government agrees to the decisions arrived at by the panel headed by the chief secretary KP Pandey on 23 August.
The controversial decisions wherein the panel has given in to the demands of the Karnataka Film Producers Association (KFPA) and the Karnataka Film Directors Association (KFDA) that non-Kannada Films will be released in Karnataka only after seven weeks from the date of release in their own states and that only six prints of each film would be permitted for the state would benefit only a few big Kannada producers and highly paid actors, claimed an industry source.
“The small budget Kannada film makers may have to follow the practice prevalent in the USA – release the films on the small screen only, since most small budget Kannada films don’t even pay back the rentals of the theaters, let alone make any profits for the producers or distributors, and the what of lack of quality Kannada films even some big budget ones, let alone the quantity required for all the theaters across the state. How can a theater survive? We can foresee conversion of many theaters to malls and shopping bazaars if these unconstitutional rules are passed and enforced by the state,” said one Bangalore based theatre owner.
Non-Kannada film theater owners and exhibitors are unhappy about the fact that they don’t even have adequate and proper representation in the committee. Decisions are taken only to benefit a select few and the government, if it caves in to the demands will be doing a grave injustice to the exhibitors, theater owners and distributors, the common man who will have a limited choice of films to view. A majority of the denizens of a cosmopolitan city like Bangalore will be forced to stop going to the movies, they allege.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
