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Warner Bros. Discovery and Viacom18 get together in exclusive content partnership for India
Mumbai: Warner Bros. Discovery and Viacom18 today announced a new multi-year agreement, making JioCinema India’s new streaming home of HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros. content starting next month. The partnership, which includes exclusive content rights across digital and linear, represents a significant step forward for both entities as they seek to deliver unrivalled world-class content to audiences.
Spanning thousands of hours of some of the best and most popular series and movies from around the world, the agreement sees Viacom18 offer an unmatched content slate to its users in India across linear channels and the JioCinema streaming service. HBO Original, Max Original and Warner Bros. Television series are set to premiere on JioCinema on the same day as the U.S.
The deal includes current and future seasons of HBO’s globally acclaimed series such as House of The Dragon, The Last of Us, Succession and The White Lotus, and returning seasons of True Detective: Night Country, Euphoria, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty and Perry Mason. Also featured as part of the agreement are highly anticipated HBO Original series including The Idol, White House Plumbers, The Sympathizer and The Regime. In addition, HBO’s esteemed series and documentaries, including Game of Thrones, Sex & The City, Big Little Lies, Chernobyl and Veep, will be available for users.
Max Original series including, And Just Like That…, Peacemaker, and The Flight Attendant, highly anticipated premieres such as Dune: The Sisterhood, The Batman spinoff The Penguin, and Duster, from J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan, as well as much-loved Warner Bros. Television series like East New York and Gotham Knights are also part of the offering.
Future Warner Bros. blockbuster movies and a vast film library including the Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and DC Universe movies, as well kids’ animation titles like Dexter’s Laboratory and Tom and Jerry Kids will also be available on JioCinema.
Warner Bros. Discovery president – India, Southeast Asia, and Korea Clement Schwebig said, “Warner Bros. Discovery’s brands are incredibly popular across India, and we are pleased to partner with Viacom18 to bring our premium HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros. content to local fans. This new agreement demonstrates our commitment to South Asia as we seek to entertain audiences across more platforms, and further strengthens the scale of our regional business as a whole.”
Viacom18 head – SVOD & international business Ferzad Palia said, “JioCinema has become the biggest platform for live sports. We are now on a mission to build the most magnetic destination for entertainment for all Indians. The strategic partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery is a big milestone in our journey to offer the best of Hollywood content to our elite consumers. We believe that Warner Bros. Discovery sets the global standards for premium content and this partnership allows us to create the best and the most comprehensive destination for our users.”
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.
