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Hallmark to chill programme line up with serial killer film
MUMBAI: This Sunday, Hallmark which generally caters to the entire family with heartwarming dramas and comedies, will tread a different path. It will plumb the depths of human darkness with the movie The Stranger Beside Me. The film airs on 2 November at 6:30 pm with a repeat at 10:15 pm.
The channel has billed the film as the true-crime television event of the year. The fact-based film deals with notorious serial killer Ted Bundy who murdered at least 36 women. It is based on Ann Rule’s novel. Bundy was a close friend of hers and was an unassuming law student. Rule stumbled upon the ugly truth in the late 1970s while covering a string of grisly unsolved murders stretching from Utah to Seattle..
Rule is played by Emmy and Golden Globe winner Barbara Hershey. She is an ex-cop working the suicide hotlines in Seattle. To make ends meet, she indulges in another obsession which involves writing true-crime stories. She has a daughter and a seemingly good friend in Bundy played by Golden Globe nomineeOnce and Again Billy Campbell.
The film hints that there might have been a moment when he could have stopped. Rule suspects that his spree could have begun when he was still in his teens, and a little girl on his paper route vanished off the face of the earth.
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.
