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Kamal Haasan to host Bigg Boss’s debut on Tamil TV
BENGALURU: Endemol Shine’s Big Brother format under its Indian sobriquet Bigg Boss is all set to make its Tamil television debut on Star India’s Tamil GEC Star Vijay on 18 June 2017. The host of the show will be Indian film icon Kamal Haasan. The format of the show will be the same as the Bigg Boss season 10 format that closed in end January this year on Network 18’s Hindi GEC channel Colors. The Kannada version’s season 4 which also closed in mid-January on Network 18’s Colors Kannada was quite successful.
Sources at Star Vijay claim that the show on their channel will be on an even bigger scale than the Hindi version. They say that an exclusive and a massive house, bigger than the Hindi version, was being built at EVP World Theme Park in Chennai.
“We are keen to leverage the uniqueness of the format , the reality appetite of Tamil audiences and a great host like Kamal Haasan, not only to drive ratings, but to put out cutting edge and innovative content,” said Vijay TV GM Krishnan Kutty.
On his first foray into television, Haasan said, “When Vijay TV approached me to play host , I funnily quipped , who better than me right, all my life have been under a constant watch and have been judged on whatever I have done , public or private. But, now roles are reversed as I would stand with the audience and watch these celebrities in the house survive this ordeal.”
Bigg Boss Tamil will air on weekdays (Monday to Friday) at 900 pm and between 830pm and 10pm on weekends. The show would see the coming together of 15 celebrities in a posh house with all the amenities but who are completely cut off from technology and the outside world for 100 days. The channel is filtering participants. It says that people from varied backgrounds are being spoken to and the reception has been enthusiastic, given Kamal Haasan is the host.
Sources say that a massive marketing plan has been formulated with more than 400 outdoor sites, full page advertisements in all the leading English and Tamil dailies and weekly magazines and Radio Specials have been planned as well. Digital tie up has been firmed up with Facebook, Twitter and Google they aver.
While details of sponsors and major advertisers were not available at the time of writing, the channel says that national advertisers who have experienced the euphoria of Bigg Boss Hindi are the primary movers. However, Chennai is a powerful and strong retail market and hence the local market will also be an active participant, they say.
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.
