News Headline
Aakash Aath airs longest crime fiction in regional media space
KOLKATA: Bengali general entertainment channel (GEC) Aakash Aath has already aired 3,000 hours of crime fiction called Police Filez. The channel further said that it is the longest for any regional media to run a show like this one.
The channel has plans to continue the show. What’s more the show is also a part of the channel’s CSR activity as it makes people socially aware and helps them to comprehend and safeguard themselves from such brutal crime.
Police Filez is a real life crime based fiction. Aakash Aath has been covering almost all the crimes that take place and enacts it in the most real format. Stories are shown up till judgment/judgments pending. Police Filez is telecast from Monday to Saturday from 8.30 – 9.30 pm.
“Our Police Filez series is doing very well. It is delivering around 25 per cent of the numbers alone in terms of audience viewership. We are the only one in the regional space to have a show like this. We have made approximately 3,000 hours of crime fiction. We plan to continue the show,” said Aakash Aath director Eshita Surana.
Surana further explains that while there are instances of national TV channels running crime related shows for years, in the Bengal TV space, this is a new development.
The show sometimes depicts gruesome acts. When queried on the purpose behind showing such acts on TV, Surana says, “Judgments are important to be shown as they would make the upcoming crime performers scared of it and this in turn might help in reduction of crime. Newspapers just write about the case on one day and then people don’t get to know what happened to the victim and what its judgment was,” she said.
The show also has a special segment called ‘Dharma Number,’ through which viewers are educated on the punishments that fall under various sections and how they can move towards filing a case and fighting for judgment.
Explaining further on how the channel’s telecast is helping the society, Surana says, “It was just after our telecast that the main culprit was caught in the Kamduni rape case, which has shaken the state.”
Referring to the Pandua Acid Case she adds, “In this case, after the telecast, the victim got monetary help from a viewer for her medical treatment. A show like this helps the masses at times to identify probable crimes before they take place and they can also take precautionary measures, and protect themselves.”
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.
