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‘Amanat’ bids adieu tonight after marathon run
MUMBAI:Amanat, the show that had pride of place in Zee’s programming and led one of the longest and most popular runs on Indian television, winds to a full stop today.
The last episode of the saga of a father bringing up seven daughters single handedly will be telecast today. Directed by Sanjiv Bhattacharya and later by his wife, Sapna, Amanat that began in 1997, was able to hook viewers with its sentimental storyline of a close knit family that faces a stream of trials and tribulations. It was Amanat which, rival Star admitted much later, that had a relatable backdrop and an identifiable narrative, was socially correct and portrayed some cherished emotions – elements that that were later incorporated into the making of successes like Kyunkii and Kahaani.
Amanat held its own in subsequent years on prime time, at one time notching TRPs as high as 19, says Bhattacharya. Post 2000, however, the weekly serial was, along with the other popular Zee serial Koshish, a victim of the Kaun Banega Crorepati onslaught. Although Bhatttacharya says she intended to wind up the serial last year itself, Amanat continued at the channel’s behest.
In May 2002, the channel again asked Bhattacharya to fast forward the storyline 20 years, in a bid to woo back a declining viewership. Finally, a decision was taken to end the serial gracefully in the first week of September. The medium budget serial was able to establish a rapport with viewers, says Bhattacharya, as it portrayed every day Indian life and Indian culture in a way other serials did not.
Amanat in fact proved to be a stepping-stone for Gracy Singh, one of the sisters in Amanat, who later bagged the lead role in Aamir Khan’s Lagaan.
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UDF poised to return to power in Kerala, says Manorama-CVoter survey
Massive opinion poll projects shift in Kerala politics ahead of 2026 Assembly elections.
MUMBAI: The winds of change appear to be blowing through Kerala’s political landscape and this time, they seem to favour the United Democratic Front. A comprehensive mega opinion survey conducted by Manorama News in partnership with CVoter projects a potential comeback for the UDF in the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections 2026. The survey, covering all 140 constituencies with a massive sample size of nearly 90,000 respondents, predicts the UDF could win between 69 and 81 seats.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is expected to secure 57 to 69 seats, a significant drop from the 99 seats it won in the 2021 elections. This would mean the LDF losing 30 to 42 of its sitting seats. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which drew a blank in 2021, is projected to open its account with 1 to 5 seats.
Region-wise, the UDF is expected to make strong gains in Malabar, winning 25 to 34 out of 48 seats, and in Central Kerala, where it could bag 29 to 33 out of 53 seats. In South Kerala, the LDF is likely to retain an edge with 21 to 25 seats, while the UDF may improve to 12 to 16 seats. The NDA could pick up 1 to 3 seats in the southern region.
The survey was conducted between 14 and 26 March 2026, with additional tracker and snap polls carried out from December 2025 to March 2026. A total of 89,693 respondents participated, ensuring representation across all demographics and social segments.
Manorama News has a strong track record of accuracy, with its previous projections closely matching the actual results of the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls.
In Kerala’s famously fierce political battles, this survey suggests the pendulum may be swinging back. Whether the final verdict matches these numbers or throws up another surprise, one thing is clear, the 2026 Assembly elections are shaping up to be one of the most keenly watched contests in the state’s history.
