News Headline
Hallmark to lure viewers with few chuckles; courtesy ‘Sitcom slot’
MUMBAI: It’s time for some happy weekdays at Hallmark.
Starting today, 1 July, Hallmark Channel will be featuring sitcom slot every Monday to Friday at 6 pm and at 9:30 pm. With award-winning comedy Mad About You and My Big Fat Greek Life- a spin-off from the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding on the programming schedule, the channel will be packing some laughter in its current line up.
A 24- hour family entertainment channel, Hallmark has been airing movie premieres, primetime features comprising Hallmark original movies and theatricals. It has also been consistently airing drama series, but with the recent programming acquisitions the channel will be providing a complete entertainment package.
First on the line is an award winning comedy Mad about you featuring Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as Paul and Jaime Buchman a recently married couple in New York City. The channel will be airing the show every Monday to Thursday at 6 pm and 9:30 pm.
The series takes a peek into lives of Paul – a documentary filmmaker – and Jaime – a public relations official. The duo has been married for five months and struggling to establish the ground rules of their life together in a Manhattan apartment. It is a ‘behind the closed doors’ look at lives of two radically different individuals Paul and Jamie, as they deal with relationships, careers, in-laws, domestic dilemmas and eventually parenthood. The series that explores the quirky little moments that all couples shares has bagged over 16 Emmys among other accolades and has also acquired the reputation of being one of television’s most well written, funny and thoughtful sitcoms.
With the show already on Zee English and garnering the channel good eyeballs, Mad about you might just do the trick for Hallmark. The second debut, meanwhile is a sequel to the hit feature film My Big Fat Greek Wedding. With Golden Globe, Academy Award nominee Nia Vardalos essaying the role of the protagonist- a Chicago woman, Nia, from an old-fashioned Greek family, the serial had almost 23 million viewers tune-in when it premiered in the US.
Marking its debut in Asia, the weekly will be premiering on 4 July and pick up where the movie left off. Nia, the protagonist, returns from her honeymoon with her decidedly non-Greek husband (a teacher played by Thomas Miller) to face her big, loving albeit meddlesome family with loads of laughs.
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.
