News Broadcasting
Balaji hunts for fresh talent in mass auditions
MUMBAI:New soaps from the Balaji stable will now showcase new talent.
In a bid to beat the ‘starry’ date problems of the artistes it has spawned and made successes of, and to provide viewers a much needed respite from the familiar faces across serials, India’s hit soap factory has adopted the novel strategy of holding mass auditions.
An advertisement by the production house calling out to ‘pretty faces and handsome men in the age-group of 18 and 28’ in the Sunday morning papers, saw about 900 aspirants make a beeline for the studios yesterday. The mass audition was held in Sankraman Studios, in Goregaon, a suburb in Mumbai .
“Balaji Telefilms has always encouraged new talent. We are looking out for fresh faces for our forthcoming serials, films and projects. Also the problem of getting dates with the regular artistes was one of the main reasons that prompted us to hold a mass audition, ” says Balaji COO Rajesh Pavithran. The production house is keen on launching new faces in lead roles as the regular artistes have been exploited enough, he adds.
“We have about three serials in the pipeline. All three of them are based on entirely new concepts , quite different from the popular ‘saas-bahu’ sagas currently on air,” says Balaji casting director Jeet Chaudhary.
The soap factory hopes to shortlist the candidates within a week.
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.
