News Broadcasting
After ‘SMS’, Paresh Raval has three more shows in the pipeline
, Paresh Rawal has added another feather to his cap. The veteran actor has turned TV producer. His first offering as producer is a tri-weekly laugh riot-Shubh Mangal Savadhan that starts telecast from 15 July on Sahara TV.
Apart from this sitcom, Rawal’s Playtime Creation is also working on three other projects – a soap, a religious thriller and another comedy. All these projects are likely to be on air in the next one year, Rawal says. Gradually, the company also plans to foray into tele films and then films. But isn’t the company being overly ambitious, given the state of the industry? “Well turning TV producer was no doubt, a tougher experience than my struggle to make it as an actor,” Rawal says, only half in jest.
At a press conference called to launch the serial, the veteran actor was at his witty best.
Asked why he chose marriage as the topic of his first serial, Raval replied: “Shaadi has got maximum spice compared to any other event.” But then why is he cautioning people – Savadhan – against marriage? “Well, I felt it was my responsibility to caution people against treading the path we took and suffered,” Raval replied.
Raval’s fans will however be disappointed to know that he will not be starring in the serial as he feels his present movie commitments will not allow him sufficient time to act in TV serials.
On his choice of Sahara TV, Raval said it was a rapidly growing channel that had been immensely receptive and supportive to them.
Playtime also started a trend of sorts by also launching the website devoted exclusively to the serial – www.smsthecomedy.com
News Broadcasting
Times Network to air JVC Exit Poll across 5 regions on April 29
Four-hour broadcast spans states and Puducherry with data-led analysis
MUMBAI: Times Network is set to roll out what it calls one of its most expansive election programming efforts yet, culminating in the JVC Exit Poll on 29 April, with a multi-hour broadcast spanning key poll-bound regions.
The exit poll will air across Times Now and Times Now Navbharat, beginning at 5pm and 4pm respectively. Co-powered by Vedanta and Jindal Stainless, the programming aims to combine on-ground reportage with data-driven projections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
The network has deployed over 50 journalists across these regions, gathering voter sentiment and local insights in the run-up to polling. The effort builds on its ongoing election formats such as Election Yatra and Election Premier League, which have tracked campaign narratives and community-level issues.
In parallel, Times Now Navbharat has focused on constituency-level reporting in West Bengal through its Jan Gan ka Mann series, capturing voter opinions across diverse segments.
The coverage has also featured interviews with prominent political leaders. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala and V D Satheesan have appeared on the network’s election specials. From Tamil Nadu, voices including deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran, BJP leader K Annamalai and NTK’s Seeman have also featured in discussions.
On the day of the exit poll, the network’s primetime anchors, including Navika Kumar, Zakka Jacob and Sumit Awasthi, will lead the coverage. They will be joined by a panel of political analysts, psephologists and senior journalists offering real-time insights and interpretation of trends.
The programming will integrate grassroots reportage with analytics from the JVC Exit Poll, aiming to give viewers an early sense of electoral outcomes ahead of the official results on 4 May.
With its combined English and Hindi broadcast reach, Times Network is positioning this effort as a comprehensive look at voter sentiment, blending field reporting, data and debate to decode what could lie ahead when the final mandate is revealed.
