Factual
Chandra seeks govt nod to become Zee MD
MUMBAI : Aggro. That’s the mood that Zee Telefilms chairman Subhash Chandra is displaying these days.
Determined to get his pet television network back on the top of the charts, the mediapreneur has over the past six months rolled up his sleeves and got into the nitty gritty of running Zee. His CEO Sandeep Goyal was jettisoned a couple of months ago; his marketing head Partha Sinha around the same time as they failed to deliver on commitments.
With no one at the helm as such, the non-resident Indian has decided to make his fulltime involvement with the company official. The company has applied to the Central government seeking approval to appoint him as managing director of Zee Telefilms. The proposal was given the go-ahead at a board meeting on 30 November.
Chandra has in the past few months set about in right earnest to get the company’s management back on track with specific professionals being given specific tasks to handle.
Chandra is working closely with Zee president Apurva Purohit on programming related issues. The marketplace has been buzzing with rumours about the appointment of a programming head for the Hindi entertainment channel.
MUMBAI: India’s most famous hot seat is about to welcome an unlikely first-timer. For the first time on Hindi general entertainment television, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla will appear on Kaun Banega Crorepati, the iconic quiz show hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.
The special episode marks a rare meeting point of boardroom heft and prime-time television, bringing one of India’s most influential business leaders face to face with the country’s most enduring screen legend. It is a crossover that blends intellect, leadership and popular culture, all under KBC’s familiar spotlight.
Birla’s appearance dovetails neatly with the show’s current theme, Jahaan Akal Hai, Wahan Akad Hai, which celebrates the confidence that comes from clarity of thought and knowledge. His presence lends weight to the idea that sharp thinking and conviction are as vital in life as they are in the quiz chair.
In a thoughtful conversation with Bachchan, Birla shared an upbeat view of India’s economic journey, pointing to the nation’s rapid growth and the scale of opportunity opening up across industries and communities. He spoke of momentum, ambition and a future shaped by enterprise and ideas.
The episode is not all serious talk. In lighter moments, Birla confessed his long-standing admiration for Bachchan, calling him his favourite actor and admitting to a touch of nervousness at answering questions in front of the Shahenshah himself. The candour adds a human touch to a man more often seen in headlines than on television sets.
The special episode airs on Monday, 29 December at 9.00 pm on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV.
