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Bindass to give a ‘Dream Start’ to the youth
MUMBAI: Disney UTV’s youth brand, Bindass, has launched an umbrella project titled ‘Dream Start’ to take its engagement with its core audience a step further.
With this, the channel aims to fulfill the aspirations of the youth not only through shows like Yeh Hai Aashiqui but other initiatives tailor-made to build their confidence.
“The brand philosophy of Bindass is that it is the enabler of purposive action. We realise that young people are very insecure, which comes because of lack of experience. We have also, through several research programmes, realised that they need additional endeavour to ensure that they have an advantage over others,” explains Disney UTV director marketing media networks Bikram Duggal. “The youth’s aspirations, dreams, hopes, careers… Through Dream Start, we are taking the whole brand philosophy to the brand engagement space.”
Targeted at youngsters aged 18 to 25 years, ‘Dream Start’ has garnered a good response within the first 17 days of its launch. “In the last 17 days, we have already got some 80,000 responses,” informs Duggal.
And not without reason, for the channel has spent 20 per cent of its annual marketing budget on the project and is promoting it in a big way, with 800 promos running across UTV channels. “Marketing for this project is more audio-visual and so, we have created promos for television and are also promoting it in cinema halls,” elaborates Duggal.
The cinema campaign, which started with Dhoom 3, will run for a month, while the outdoor campaign in Mumbai and Delhi has begun too. A huge college campaign has been devised for 450 colleges across 26 cities. Bindass has been active on the digital front as well, with a microsite having been created apart from promotions on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. As Duggal puts it, “We have chosen a 360 degree campaign for promotion of the project.”
So how does ‘Dream Start’ work? In its very first phase, the project will offer a two-month internship with UTV Motion Pictures. To participate, “the person has to go to our website and write an essay of 150 words explaining why he/she should be selected for the internship, followed by a general awareness quiz. We sift through the candidates and then shortlist 500 candidates for round two, who will come to Mumbai and Delhi for group discussions and from there, one candidate will be chosen for the internship,” Duggal explains.
Will the selected intern be offered a job at UTV Motion Pictures? “The project is about giving confidence to the individual. We have devised a special curriculum for the intern. This will reflect in the person’s CV,” replies Duggal.
Registrations for Phase I have already started and will go on till 31 January. Internship is slated to commence in April or May this year.
And that’s not all. “Different people have different needs. So, while we start with offering an internship with UTV Motion Pictures, the next phase of ‘Dream Start’ could see someone spending one week at the Oxford University. We are looking at creating best experiences for the youth,” reveals Duggal.
The channel plans to keep the marketing campaign alive even after completion of registration. “The group discussion will be recorded and the same will be put up on YouTube,” chuckles Duggal.
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.
