News Headline
FremantleMedia picks 75% stake in Dutch producer No Pictures Please
MUMBAI: FremantleMedia has acquired a 75 per cent stake in Dutch business No Pictures Please, a controversial factual programming company owned by presenter and producer Ewout Genemans.
The company will sit alongside FremantleMedia’s entertainment and scripted businesses in the Netherlands, Blue Circle and FourOne.Media.
No Pictures Please is best known for De Roze Wildernis (Fathers Pride), about gay sons and their fathers; Super Fans: Mijn idool is mijn leven(Super Fans: My idol is my life), which follows fans as they try to get closer to their idols; and From Russia With Love, a look at the men who travel to the former Eastern bloc to find love.
This is the latest in a number of recent investments by FremantleMedia including scripted businesses Wildside (Italy), Fontaram (France) and Corona Pictures (UK).
The No Pictures Please deal was brokered by Blue Circle CEO Georgette Schlick.
“Ewout has been on Dutch screens for more than ten years and has developed a very keen eye for what audiences want. We’re delighted to be working with him and excited for what he will continue to produce for the Dutch and global market,” Schlick said.
Genemans added, “Being a part of Blue Circle and ultimately FremantleMedia presents a great opportunity to work with a fantastic Dutch operation as well as a globally established network of some of the best creative minds in television.”
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.
