News Broadcasting
Sahara pins hopes on ‘Sahib Biwi Gulam’
MUMBAI: Sahara Manoranjan today organised a first of its kind post-telecast media conference in Mumbai for their latest serial Sahib Biwi Gulam (SBG).
Sahara India’s head of corporate communications Abhijit Sarkar, senior VP programming Triptii Sharma, actors Ayub Khan, Raveena Tandon, Rajesh Shringarpure, the serial’s creative head Rituparno Ghosh, director Amitava Bhattacharya more than represented the Sahara Parivar at the press meet as they took center stage.
The reason behind making SBG was put down to reviving the Indian culture and hence the need was felt to put Bimal Mitra’s novel on to the small screen. “We also wanted to develop the Bengal industry and we have more projects in the pipeline for that,” said Sarkar.
Raveena Tandon and Ayub Khan in Sahib Biwi Gulam
Tandon, in her first media conference after her wedding, looked radiant as ever. She said that they were not going as per Guru Dutt’s classic but were following Mitra’s novel. “In a three hour capsule, the film focussed on only the love triangle but herein, people would get to know many things which were left unsaid in the film – like, Who was Chotti Bahu? Why had she to live such a wretched existence?”
Tandon said it was a pleasure to work on television and was enjoying every bit of it. “I shoot for about 10 days for this serial and have the remaining time to myself. From here on, I am cutting down on my work and will take up films which would suit my image and maturity. I had agreed to do four films starting in May, but I may back out from a few of them. I want to give time to my husband and family,” she revealed.
A scene from Sahib Biwi Gulam
When inquired by indiantelevision.com whether the show would have a definite length or was it going to be one-of-those never ending sagas, Sharma said, “The serial will last upto 104 episodes.”
Ghosh who is currently getting his film Raincoat ready for release said that recently he hadn’t been able to give much time on the studios due to his assignment but would be doing the needful very soon.
When asked by indiantelevision.com whether Sahara was taking a lot of big risks buy going ahead with huge extravaganzas with film stars, keeping in mind that Karishma- Miracles of destiny has bombed and Malini Iyer has received mixed reviews, Sharma said, “Karishma…’ hasn’t done well mainly due to two reasons. One, the Bradford controversy pulled it down. Two, there has been an error in the structure formatting. But we are looking into it and engineering some changes which would be seen soon. It’s nice to work with Bollywood stars for the simple reason that they bring in a lot of creativity. Like, the Chotti Bahu role in SBG was too complex and only someone with cinematic experience could have done it.”
When asked where some characters like Arbaaz Khan had disappeared from the serial, Sharma was quick to point out that the serial had several tracks which in turn might generate such a feeling for some actor at some stage, adding that “nobody is out of the serial.”
Sahara is roping in more Bollywood personalities in the coming days. “We are at the stage of talks, concept and script with a show which will have Amitabh Bachchan. It is difficult to say when exactly we’ll start rolling. That would depend on Bachchan’s dates. Plus we are planning a variety show with Shekhar Suman as anchor. And then, there’s the Hema Malini starrer Kamini Damini by Ravi Chopra, which should be on air in June or July,” Sharma concluded.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to air live counting day coverage for five state election results on May 4
The channel is rolling out its biggest election coverage machinery yet for results day on 4th May
NOIDA: The votes have been cast. Now comes the reckoning. CNN-News18 is pulling out all the stops for results day on 4th May, when counting begins across five battleground states — West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry — in what promises to be one of the most closely watched electoral verdicts in recent memory.
The channel’s coverage, titled Battle for the States: The Verdict, kicks off at 7am and runs through the day across linear TV, connected television and YouTube. It is the culmination of CNN-News18’s multi-format editorial initiative, Battle for the States, which has tracked the polls from the beginning under the theme Road to Power.
At the operational heart of the coverage will be the Live Results Hub, the channel’s central command centre built to collate, verify and process real-time data flowing in from reporters stationed at counting centres across constituencies. The hub combines newsroom intelligence, analytics and on-the-ground reporting to deliver what the channel promises will be the fastest and most accurate results coverage in English news.
Leading the on-air charge will be primetime anchors Rahul Shivshankar, Anand Narasimhan, Aman Sharma, Nabila Jamal and Shivani Gupta. They will be joined by a wide panel of commentators including author Chetan Bhagat; GVL Narasimha Rao, senior leader of the BJP; Smita Prakash, editor of ANI; activist Saira Shah Halim; political analyst Sumanth C Raman; Abhijit Iyer Mitra, senior fellow at IPCS; Amitabh Tiwari, founder of VoteVibe; columnist Abhijit Majumdar; Nalin Mehta, managing editor of MoneyControl; political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla; senior journalist Subir Bhaumik; and political analyst Manojit Mandal.
Shivshankar, who serves as editorial affairs director at CNN-News18, set out the stakes plainly. “Counting day is one of the most watched events in the electoral cycle, where speed and credibility are tested in real time,” he said. “Battle for the States: The Verdict is built on that promise, combining ground reporting, sharp analysis and cutting-edge election technology to give viewers the clearest and fastest route to the verdict. On May 4, CNN-News18 will once again be the nation’s most trusted channel to witness democracy in action.”
Smriti Mehra, chief executive of English and Business News at Network18, framed the coverage in broader terms. “Elections are defining national events, and audiences turn to brands they trust in moments that matter,” she said. “CNN-News18 has consistently led from the front in every election coverage, and this special programming reflects the scale of our ambition and editorial strength.”
The channel has form here. It claims to have been India’s most preferred English news destination for election results for the past 20 years, covering everything from the 2024 general elections to the Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar and BMC polls on the back of what it calls an “Always First, Always Right” record. Five states, one day, and a nation waiting for answers. The clock starts at 7am on 4th May.
