News Broadcasting
Nimbus puts film production plans in overdrive
Motion pictures seem to be the only new Nimbus venture that has taken off with a measure of success in the last couple of years.
While plans to launch TV channels and portals have been stuck for various reasons, movies may well be the next ace up the company’s sleeve as it unleashes six Hindi, regional and international film productions in the next two years.
The company reportedly sunk in approximately Rs 79 million in the motion picture business as in initial investment.
The Sanjay Dutt starrer Sarhad Paar, announced in late 1999, is finally taking shape. To be launched on 20 February, the film is to be directed by Raman Kumar and is co-scripted by Akash Khurana, Nimbus chief operating officer, movies and music.
According to Khurana, Nimbus Motion Pictures will encompass multi-genre, multi-budget and multi-language movies. As with its television content, which Nimbus produces in eight Indian languages, the movie division too has adopted a portfolio approach with films being made in six different languages.
The company has firmed up plans for six Hindi and regional language films to be released within two years. Also on the cards is an international production, an English film that will boast a foreign crew and cast. To be launched by September 2002, it will be an erotic thriller and is to be shot entirely in Goa. Khurana says Nimbus is tying up with a major production house in the US for this venture, which is slated as an independent film and will not be shot in studio format.
The motion picture division that was activated in early 2000 with the launch of a Marathi film, Ek Hoti Waadi, is looking towards an annual turnover of Rs 200 million. Nimbus, says Khurana, is also planning to enter the telefilm arena, but is waiting for “the economic climate to improve, and projects get more affordable for channels.”
Even as Sarhad Paar takes shape, a Telugu film to be directed by Suresh Krishnan will be kicked off by July 2002. Also in the pipeline are a Bengali and an Oriya film, which will be launched later this year.
Ek Hoti Waadi, the small budget Marathi film that marked Nimbus’ entry into film production, was released in Pune on 8 February and will be released later this month in suburban Mumbai. The film is slated for release in the state interiors from April onwards. The film, which Khurana claims has received a good response in Pune, bagged six awards (picture, actor, actress, story, music and lyrics) at the recently held Alpha Gaurav Puraskar in Mumbai.
In late 1999 when the company declared its intention to go public, it had issued a propectus in which Nimbus chairman Harish Thawani said that the company had taken a policy decision that not more than five per cent of the company’s investible funds at any time will have an exposure in the motion picture content industry.
The company had also planned on launching a community portal, a movie related vortal, entering the FM radio fray and launching two TV channels, one of them to be christened showbiz TV, apart from starting a motion picture division. The others are yet to take off, however.
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
