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Cosmos-Maya starts 2021 with new seasons of hit shows
MUMBAI: It’s just the second week of the new year, and animation studio Cosmos-Maya is already looking to outperform its own stellar run in 2020.
By mid-2021, among a bevy of numerous upcoming projects, the studio plans to release second seasons of audience favourites Titoo, Gadget Guru Ganesha (GGG) and Bapu. The former two have reached this milestone merely six months into their preliminary release. Titoo has been a top performer on Turner-owned Pogo, consistently being in the top five viewed kids’ animated programs on Indian TV. Bapu and GGG are streaming on Indian OTT platform Zee5 and have been consistent top performers on TV as well, with GGG contributing strongly to gross channel viewership of Disney Channel India.
The studio launched Titoo on Pogo in July 2020, a show about the eponymous schoolboy who likes to help people but always ends up causing trouble in the process. Bapu originally debuted in May 2020 and is a show about the Mahatma in a fun rendition of his social principles. Ganesh Chaturthi’20 saw the release of Gadget Guru Ganesha, a fantasy animated show about a group of orphans and their friendship with a little Ganesha who employs mystical gadgets to solve problems with them.
Cosmos-Maya has unwaveringly adhered to strict production and release timelines in the past year, and it has reflected in the best way for the quality and performance of the eight shows they’ve released. The new announcements are just the beginning of a long line-up planned in 2021, with big names such as Dabangg and Tenali Rama also in the offering.
Cosmos-Maya CEO Anish Mehta said the studio is creating new projects, and it's just the start of a great set of offerings lined up this year.
"Disney India and Turner (Warner Media) have played an integral part in our shows achieving the level of success that they see today. The domestic and international markets are opening up to a large cultural and creative diversity of animated content from every corner of the globe, and Indian homegrown kids’ content is here to make a mark deeper than ever. Our terrific creative heads Suhas Kadav (Bapu) and Dheeraj Berry (Titoo and Gadget Guru Ganesha) have helmed the projects with utmost ingenuity and have met the bar for success as with every Cosmos-Maya produced project. We have our finger on the pulse of audience demands and the media business landscape and 2021 will see the best of it,” added Mehta.
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.
