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HBO to push ‘Band of Brothers’ home video in US
NEW YORK: It may have been a damp squib in India, but in the US, HBO’s World War II show has done well both in terms of viewership and awards (six Emmies).
Now HBO has announced that its series Band of Brothers will be available on home video from 5 November. The HBO video is backed by an extensive advertising campaign in the US. The campaign includes post street date advertising on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, TBS, TNT, E!, ESPN, FOX SPORTS, A&E, The History Channel, TMC, and CNN. Print advertising will include layouts in Esquire,GQ,Entertainment Weekly,Vanity Fair, Time,Fortune,National Geographic, the Military Times, USA Today,The New York Times,The Los Angeles Times and much more. HBO Video will also advertise the series in the top 40 radio markets in the US.
The VHS and DVD copies also feature the exclusive documentary We Stand Alone Together: The Men of Easy Company. This one hour and 20 minute documentary tells the story of the men of Easy Company in their own words. It features recent interviews with the real-life company members whose deeds are dramatised in the miniseries, combined with rare and archival photographs and film footage.
Additional bonus materials that are exclusive on DVD include a 30 minute feature showcasing The Making of Band of Brothers, Ron Livingston’s Video Diaries featuring the experience of making the miniseries through the eyes of one actor, a featurette of HBO’s premiere screening of the miniseries on the beaches of Normandy and an optional enhanced viewing Field Guide.
The Field Guide is an extensive reference feature, which details the people, places and events associated with Easy Company’s campaigns through Europe and WW II as a whole. Access to the guide is context sensitive, so the viewer always gets information specific to the current episode being viewed first. From this access point, the viewer may continue to browse the entire collection of features spanning sections such as Soldiers, Timeline, Map, Chain of Command.
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.
