News Broadcasting
Pak TV beckon Aman Varma, Sakshi Tanwar too
MUMBAI: The on-going Indo-Pak friendship talks definitely has desirable effect on the television industry. Following the footsteps of Nausheen Sardar Ali, Aamna Shariff, the ace television actors Sakshi Tanwar and Aman Varma have signed on an Indo-Pak venture Kucch Rishtey Kachche Dhaagon Ke.
Erstwhile director of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi- Kamal Monga Aman is the producer from India, while the other producer is a Pakistani nationa. Varma’s charcter in the intense family drama is known as Salman and Tanwar plays Ayesha.
The serial is currently being pitched to Pakistan’s Geo Channel is about a man whos married to two women, an Indian Muslim and a Pakistani Muslim. The story deals with the increasing negativity between the two wives and their respective kids.
The Indian actors starring in the serial, besides Varma and Tanwar, include Shahbaz Khan, Tasneem and Smita Hai. The serial also stars noted Pakistani actors like Bahaar Begum, Mustafa Qurshi, Saima and Rustam. Tanwar will be romantically paired opposite Shahbaaz Khan.
Both Varma and Tanwar are back from Dubai after they wrapped up the first schedule of the show. The serial will also be shot in Mumbai and Karachi.
Speaking about his role Varma offered, “The actors there are pretty receptive about us. In fact they say that our shows are very popular and so are our TV stars.”
As on the home ground, Varma- who has previously starred in Kyunki…, Kalash, Kehta Hai Dil, and anchored Khullja Sim Sim is currently seen in Sony’s supernatural thriller Devi and Star Plus’ afternoon soap Kumkum. Coincidentally, Tanwar and Varma have been co stars in Devi, till Tanwar called it quits recently. Right now in Star Plus’ Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, she is about to reveal that she is indeed Parvati and not Swati Dixit as she has been posing so far.
News Broadcasting
News TV viewership jumps 33 per cent as West Asia war draws audiences
BARC Week 8 data shows news share rising to 8 per cent despite T20 World Cup
NEW DELHI:Â Even as individual television news channel ratings remain under a temporary pause, the genre itself is seeing a clear surge in audience attention.
According to the latest data from Broadcast Audience Research Council India, television news recorded a 33 per cent jump in genre share in Week 8 of 2026, covering February 28 to March 6.
The news genre accounted for 8 per cent of total television viewership during the week, up from 6 per cent the previous week. The spike in attention coincided with escalating geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which have kept global headlines firmly fixed on West Asia.
The rise is notable because it came at a time when cricket was dominating television screens. The high-stakes stages of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, including the Super 8 fixtures and semi-finals, were being broadcast during the same period.
Despite the cricket frenzy, viewers appeared to be toggling between sport and global affairs, boosting the overall share of news programming.
The surge in genre share comes even as the government has enforced a one-month pause on publishing ratings for individual news channels. The move followed regulatory scrutiny of the television ratings ecosystem.
While channel-level rankings remain temporarily out of sight, the genre-level data suggests that when global tensions escalate, audiences continue to turn to television news for real-time updates.
