DTH
In nostalgia trip, Tata Sky Seniors brings back hit DD show Swabhimaan
New Delhi: The 90s’ hit Doordarshan soap Swabhimaan directed by Mahesh Bhatt and Debaloy Dey has returned to the TV screen after a long gap of 25 years. The show is being exclusively aired on Tata Sky Seniors.
The iconic drama that ruled the afternoon primetime on television screens in the 1990s was the first TV serial to finish 500 episodes. Scripted by the columnist and novelist Shobha De and Vinod Ranganath, Swabhimaan brings back the story of succession rights and property entanglements that made waves with its original telecast in 1994.
It is supported by a stellar cast including Rohit Roy, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana, Achint Kaur, Tanaaz Currim, Rajeev Paul, Anju Mahendru, Kitu Gidwani, Deepak Parashar and many more. The show narrates the story of its protagonist, Svetlana, who finds herself in a battle where there are no real winners. Insecurity, suspicion, and fear threatens to erode her vivacious spirit as she struggles to come to terms with her position – that of a pampered mistress whose tycoon patron Keshav Malhotra dies leaving her to cope with the ugly aftermath of the tragedy.
Actor Rohit Roy said, “The audience has seen and appreciated me in several roles and characters over the years but every actor has a special show and character in his life that changes his life forever and for me, that was the character of Rishabh Malhotra in the show Swabhimaan. This iconic show returns on the TV screens, on Tata Sky Seniors, after 25 years and it is a dream come true not only for me but for a lot of people who have awaited the return of the show. Thank you so much for 25 years of love. It's time we give it back to you.”
The show is exclusively available on Tata Sky Seniors on channel no. 505 from 19 April, Monday to Friday at 12 pm and 9 pm, with a repeat telecast at 7:30 pm on Sundays.
DTH
DD Free Dish e-auction revenue dips to Rs 642 crore as slot sales fall
Revenue dips as revised norms reshape bidding in 94th round
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati’s DD Free Dish has closed its 8th annual, and 94th overall, e-auction for MPEG-2 slots with total collections of Rs 642 crore for the period April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
That is lower than last year’s Rs 780 crore haul, with 55 slots sold compared with 61 in FY25–26. The softer topline reflects both a slimmer inventory and a recalibrated auction framework.
This was the first auction conducted after amendments to the e-auction methodology, including tighter eligibility norms and a revised reserve price structure for MPEG-2 slots. The stated aim was greater transparency and more serious participation. The immediate outcome appears to be more measured bidding in certain categories.
Day one set the tone. Eight slots were sold, six in the premium Bucket A+ and two in Bucket A. The strong early action in A+, which typically houses Hindi GECs and movie channels, reaffirmed the enduring appeal of mass Hindi programming on the platform.
Among the broadcasters securing slots in the initial rounds were Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Sony Pictures Networks India, Viacom18’s Colors network, Sun Network and Shemaroo Entertainment. Their continued presence signals that, despite the pull of digital platforms, Free Dish remains a strategic must have for legacy networks chasing scale in price sensitive markets.
The final bouquet of 55 channels leans heavily towards Hindi news, movies, devotional fare, Bhojpuri and regional programming.
In Hindi news, familiar heavyweights such as Aaj Tak, ABP News, India TV, News18 India, Republic Bharat and Zee News made the cut. Entertainment and movie offerings include Colors Rishtey, Star Utsav, Dangal TV, Sony Pal, Shemaroo TV, Goldmines, B4U Movies and Zee Biskope. Devotional viewers will find Aastha, Sanskar and Sadhna Gold among the selected channels.
Regional representation includes Sun Marathi, Fakt Marathi, PTC Punjabi and GTC Punjabi.
Equally telling were the absences. Broadcasters such as Big Magic, Filamchi Bhojpuri, India News, Bharat Express, Movieplex Maithili, TV9 Marathi, Shemaroo Marathibana, Zee Chitra Mandir and Satsang did not participate. The pullback is particularly visible across Marathi, Bhojpuri, Maithili and spiritual programming. Industry observers point to the revised reserve prices, tighter eligibility norms and a reassessment of commercial viability as possible factors.
DD Free Dish continues to beam into over 40 million homes, largely in rural and semi urban India. For advertisers and broadcasters alike, it offers efficient access to Bharat markets where pay TV penetration remains uneven and OTT subscriptions are limited.
The moderation in revenue this year may be read as a pause rather than a retreat. Fewer slots, a reworked auction playbook and evolving broadcaster strategies have clearly shaped outcomes. Yet premium Hindi entertainment retains its pull, and the platform’s mass reach remains hard to ignore.
As the FY26–27 line-up settles in, the mix of winners and walkaways will define the private satellite channel landscape on DD Free Dish for the year ahead.
