News Broadcasting
BBC’s ‘Bollywood Bosses’ new series to profile prominent directors from Hindi cinema
MUMBAI: As the new year sets in, BBC World will be presenting a new series of its programme Bollywood Bosses from 1 January, profiling some of India’s best film directors.
Over the next 13 weeks, the show will feature many of the industry’s best-known contemporary film makers, whose work is seen by millions of people every year. The show will be aired at 10 pm on 1 January and at 12 pm on 2 January.
This weekend, Bollywood Bosses will feature an exclusive profile of the film maker Farhan Akhtar, analysing the success of his debut movie Dil Chahta Hai, which set new trends in Bollywood with its art direction, styling and production values.
In an in-depth interview, Akhtar talks about his swift entry into the world of A-list directors despite following up his debut with a second production that was not a box office hit. “I think my films deal with, normally, men of my age whose struggles, I guess, I understand on some level, and so far they reflect what I feel about life.”
The programme sees Akhtar visiting the location where the music to Dil Chahta Hai was composed. The episode also provides insights into his working style through interviews with colleagues and actors Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna; his father and scriptwriter Javed Akhtar; and the music composers Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy.
In the following episodes, Bollywood Bosses will feature renowned directors such as David Dhawan, Mahesh Bhatt, Subhash Ghai, Raj Kumar Santoshi, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Ashutosh Gowriker, examining their unique methods of film making.
Directors like Yash Chora, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Ram Gopal Varma and Karan Johar, who were featured in the first series of Bollywood Bosses earlier in 2004, will also be featured briefly.
The programme is produced for BBC World by Via Earth Films and is sponsored by Hyundai Colour Televisions.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
