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TCB’s Heaney & Subhani launch new co-production set up BossaNova Media
MUMBAI: TCB Media Rights co-partners Paul Heaney and Dina Subhani have launched co-production and distribution company BossaNova Media.
Months after giving up the reins to their former venture, TCB, Subhani and Heaney are now looking to unite producers and buyers through BossaNova Media, which they hope will serve as an integrated hub to fast-track the commissioning and deal-making process. The outfit will closely work with producers and broadcasters to co-create shows by matching ideas.
The duo founded factual distribution company TCB Media Rights in 2012 as a two-person operation that grew to generate $20 million in revenue. The company was later acquired by Canada-based Kew Media Group in October 2017. But the fruitful relationship fell through earlier this year when Kew went belly-up.
After much wrangling, Heaney and Subhani secured their exit from the collapsed Candian TV company and sold TCB to Australian producer and distributor Beyond International in April 2020.
BossaNova Media intuitive to both producers and buyers
Heaney said: “We want BossaNova to be at the very center as far as the ideas and shows we work with are concerned. Our ambition is to be a significant help to platforms that have specific content needs and producers that need all of the above plus endorsement, experience and co-development of ideas."
Next on the company’s agenda is talking to the buying and commissioning communities over the coming weeks so as to kickstart the benefit chain for indies.
On their decision to launch BossaNova Media, Subhani shared: “There’s a lot of uncertainty and fear as we stumble through the wreckage of 2020, but Paul and I have done our due diligence and we see a clear gap in the market.”
Subhani explained that before starting the company, they spoke to buyers and producers to identify what they want from a production-distribution company, and plan to deliver on it.
“Call BossaNova what you will – distributor, agent, development platform, financier – but we believe this creative-finance model is what’s needed in today’s fast-moving world,” she concluded.
As one of the founding directors of TCB, Subhani played a key role in the company’s growth and management. She looked after accounts, marketing and financial planning. Subhani began her career in print and airtime sales.
Before launching TCB, Heaney was president and MD of Cineflix Rights, which he started in 2002. Prior to this, he worked at BSkyB and Southern Star.
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.
