DTH
Shemaroo releases comedian Jaswinder Bhalla on VCD, DVDs
MUMBAI: Shemaroo Video has released comedian Jaswinder Bhalla’s Chhankata 2006 -Kadh’ Tiyan Kasraan on VCDs and DVDs.
The Chhankata series stars the trio of Jaswinder Bhalla, Bal Mukand Sharma and Ms. Neelu, and is popular for its comedy on politics, social problems, corruption etc.
Shemaroo says that the audio of Chhankata 2006, also released by Shemaroo has received a good response. Besides the regular thrill-full and meaningful comedy, non-stop satires, jokes and wits; the Silver Jubilee Edition has guest performances from Punjabi Singers like Sardool Sikander, Surinder Chinda,Balkar Sidhu, Sukhwinder Sukhi and Hardev Mahi Nangal who have sung to add special flavour to the album. Also issues like Rakhi Sawant – Mika controversy and molestation of girl students by Punjab Police are among the current topics covered in this comedy show.
Shemaroo VP Hiren Gada said “Chhankata has become the common man’s entertainment source over the last so many years. We are extremely proud to release the Silver Jubilee edition of the Chhankata series which has entertained the audiences for two decades. We are sure that the edition will be a hit among Chhankata fans and emerge as the best in the series so far.”
Bhalla says, “With the love and good wishes of my several fans I have been encouraged to provide them with wholesome entertainment year after year. This being the silver jubilee edition I am more than happy to be associated with a company like Shemaroo which has a national presence and is looking keenly to promote local artists and talent in the appropriate manner”.
Shemaroo has also tied up with telecom operators for providing mobile downloads of the title.
DTH
DD Free Dish e-auction revenue dips to Rs 642 crore as slot sales fall
Revenue dips as revised norms reshape bidding in 94th round
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati’s DD Free Dish has closed its 8th annual, and 94th overall, e-auction for MPEG-2 slots with total collections of Rs 642 crore for the period April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
That is lower than last year’s Rs 780 crore haul, with 55 slots sold compared with 61 in FY25–26. The softer topline reflects both a slimmer inventory and a recalibrated auction framework.
This was the first auction conducted after amendments to the e-auction methodology, including tighter eligibility norms and a revised reserve price structure for MPEG-2 slots. The stated aim was greater transparency and more serious participation. The immediate outcome appears to be more measured bidding in certain categories.
Day one set the tone. Eight slots were sold, six in the premium Bucket A+ and two in Bucket A. The strong early action in A+, which typically houses Hindi GECs and movie channels, reaffirmed the enduring appeal of mass Hindi programming on the platform.
Among the broadcasters securing slots in the initial rounds were Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Sony Pictures Networks India, Viacom18’s Colors network, Sun Network and Shemaroo Entertainment. Their continued presence signals that, despite the pull of digital platforms, Free Dish remains a strategic must have for legacy networks chasing scale in price sensitive markets.
The final bouquet of 55 channels leans heavily towards Hindi news, movies, devotional fare, Bhojpuri and regional programming.
In Hindi news, familiar heavyweights such as Aaj Tak, ABP News, India TV, News18 India, Republic Bharat and Zee News made the cut. Entertainment and movie offerings include Colors Rishtey, Star Utsav, Dangal TV, Sony Pal, Shemaroo TV, Goldmines, B4U Movies and Zee Biskope. Devotional viewers will find Aastha, Sanskar and Sadhna Gold among the selected channels.
Regional representation includes Sun Marathi, Fakt Marathi, PTC Punjabi and GTC Punjabi.
Equally telling were the absences. Broadcasters such as Big Magic, Filamchi Bhojpuri, India News, Bharat Express, Movieplex Maithili, TV9 Marathi, Shemaroo Marathibana, Zee Chitra Mandir and Satsang did not participate. The pullback is particularly visible across Marathi, Bhojpuri, Maithili and spiritual programming. Industry observers point to the revised reserve prices, tighter eligibility norms and a reassessment of commercial viability as possible factors.
DD Free Dish continues to beam into over 40 million homes, largely in rural and semi urban India. For advertisers and broadcasters alike, it offers efficient access to Bharat markets where pay TV penetration remains uneven and OTT subscriptions are limited.
The moderation in revenue this year may be read as a pause rather than a retreat. Fewer slots, a reworked auction playbook and evolving broadcaster strategies have clearly shaped outcomes. Yet premium Hindi entertainment retains its pull, and the platform’s mass reach remains hard to ignore.
As the FY26–27 line-up settles in, the mix of winners and walkaways will define the private satellite channel landscape on DD Free Dish for the year ahead.
