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DD back in action with three new shows
MUMBAI: Loads of action coming from the pubcaster in the week ahead. Doordarshan, aka DD1, will unleash three new shows next week.
They are Unitech Indraprastha TV’s Agnipath, Adhikari brother’s Kuntee and Balaji Telefilms’Kyamaat.
Scheduled to launch on Monday 15 December, at 8:30 pm, Agneepath – a directorial venture of Raman Kumar – tells the story of five girls with disturbing pasts.
With a star cast including Kiran Kumar, Zarina Wahab, Pankaj Berry, Suchitra Pillai, Kamiya Malhotra, Avtar Gill, Sulbha Arya, Imran Khan and Amita Nangiya, this show airing Monday to Wednesday, is about five women’s struggle against fate. Kuldeep Singh has composed the music for Agneepath. With an ample sprinkling of debauchery, parental discord, family drama, the serial is expected to go well with the junta.
The second show Kuntee , produced by Markand Adhikari and directed by Gautam Adhikari, stars Geeta Tyagi, Jayshree T, Lalit Tiwari and Surendra Pal.
Slotted to launch on 18 December, the show will air on Thursdays and Fridays at 8:30 pm. Kuntee is a story of an ambitious girl from an orthodox family. Interested in music and dance, the protagonist faces a staunch opposition from her father. While he plans to get her married, she elopes with her lover.
But twist of fate leaves this young single mother struggling against all odds to raise her child.
Last in the line is Kyamaat, a show from soap factory Balaji Telefilms. Announced by producer Ekta Kapoor in September, Kyamaat is all about love, deceit and revenge.
Directed by Sanjeev Chaddha, the new series will be telecast from 19 December on Fridays and Saturdays at 9 pm. A thriller, Kyamaat has Ali Hasan, Amita Chanekar, Kishwar, Neelam Mehra, Lily Patel and Ashish in its main cast.
The story is the usual – a love triangle between the leads Pooja, Uday and Anamika.
Uday is married to Pooja – an insecure woman, who is constantly plagued by doubts that her husband is cheating on her. The third angle is the CEO of Uday’s company Anamika – a sort of mystery woman who Pooja is out to destroy.
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.
