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Prasar Bharati to bring back 80’s popular mythological epics
MUMBAI: At one time, India’s streets used to empty out when two particular programmes came on air, just like the roads are deserted today in the age of the novel coronavirus. We are referring to the two epic dramas that used to be telecast on Doordarshan in the eighties – Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan and BR Chopra’s Mahabharat.
Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekar Vempati is hoping to bring them back on Doordarshan.
He announced on twitter that he is in conversation with the rights owners – BR Films and Sagar Arts to acquire the rights for the telecast. “Will update shortly. Stay tuned,” Shashi had tweeted.
Then he shared another tweet a short while later: “Hopeful of sharing schedule by the end of the day. Technical and logistics issues being worked out.”
Putting the shows on air could work well for Doordarshan, especially as a large part of India is at home with little to do. Work from home is not yielding too many results, courtesy the country lockdown announced by prime minister Narendra Modi.
The question is whether more aware and discerning audiences will take well to the production values that the two shows have, in the age of high-end VFX. “What the two shows had were a lot of heart, a good caste and fabulous storytelling on a channel which was the only one viewers could watch at that time,” says a veteran TV producer. “Hence, the two shows rated extremely high. In today’s environment where near-realistic VFX has come to epic dramas from the likes of Siddharth Kumar Tewary’s Mahabharat or Krishna shows on Star, modern audiences may shy away from them. However, only time will tell how audiences will react.”
To DD’s advantage, its channels are available freely on DD FreeDish which has become an alternative to those viewers in private pay TV dark areas, on account of pricing and packaging restrictions imposed on private broadcasters by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India under its new tariff order.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
