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Sony Max pushes its way to most watched Hindi channel across genres
BENGALURU: Sony Pictures Network India (SPN) Hindi movies channel Sony Max was ranked second in Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) weekly list of top 10 channels across genres (across genres list) for week 28 of 2018 (Saturday, 7 July 2018 to Friday, 13 July 2018, week or period under review). There were eight other Hindi channels in the across genres list in week 28 of 2018. This made Sony Max the most watched Hindi channel in BARC’s during the period under review. The channel was also the most watched channel in BARC’s list of top five Hindi movies channels in the combined urban and rural Hindi speaking market – HSM (U+R), as well as in HSM (U). In HSM (R) Sony Max was ranked fifth.
At its normal first rank (except during IPL and a couple of weeks when Zee Anmol got ahead) was the Sun TV Network’s flagship Tamil GEC Sun TV, which returned to the billion pus weekly impressions after a long hiatus from that threshold number.
Six Hindi GEC, two Hindi movies and one Tamil GEC and Telugu GEC made up BARC’s list of top 10 channels across genres during week 28 of 2018. From the networks perspective, three channels each from SPN and Star India, two channels from Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel) and one channel each from the Sun TV Network Limited and Viacom 18 made up BARC’s across genres list for week 28 of 2018.
As mentioned above, Sun TV led the across genres list in week 28 with 1051.589 million weekly impressions as compared to 947.652 million weekly impressions in week 27 of 2018. Sun TV also led BARC’s weekly list of top five Tamil channels in the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry market and all the five programmes in BARC’s list of top five Tamil programmes during primetime in these markets based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week under review were aired on Sun TV.
At second rank was Sony Max with 669.742 million weekly impressions in week 28 of 2018 as compared to fourth rank and 626.781 million weekly impressions. Two Hindi feature films (HFF) that featured on Sony Max – Bahubali 2 – The Conclusion and the world television premiere of HFF Mummy were among the top five most watched Hindi movies programmes during primetime based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week in HSM (U+R) and HSM (R). The concluding part of S S Rajamouli’s magnum opus was also among the five most watched Hindi movies programmes during primetime in HSM (R) during the week under review.
Moving down a rank to third place in week 28 was Zeel’s FTA Hindi GEC Zee Anmol with 653.296 million weekly impressions as compared to 700.502 million weekly impressions in week 27 of 2018. Zee Anmol was also ranked first in BARC’s weekly list of top 10 Hindi GECs in the combined urban and rural Hindi speaking markets or HSM (U+R) as also in HSM (R). The Balaji Telefilms-produced soap Kumkum Bhagya aired on Zee Anmol was ranked fourth in BARC’s list of top five Hindi GEC programmes during primetime based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week in HSM (U+R) and was ranked first in HSM (R). Another soap from the channel, Mahek, was ranked second in HSM (R) as in the previous few weeks.
Also moving down one rank to fourth place was Zeel’s flagship Hindi GEC Zee TV with 614.840 weekly impressions in week 28 as compared to 652.386 million weekly impressions in week 27. As in the previous week Zee TV was ranked second in BARC’s weekly list of top 10 Hindi GECs in HSM (U+R), second in HSM (U) and seventh in HSM (R) during the week. Two programmes that were aired on Zee TV- Kundali Bhagya, a spinoff of Kumkum Bhagya, was ranked second and Kumkum Bhagya was ranked third in HSM (U+R) in BARC’s list of top five programmes during primetime based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week. Kundali Bhagya was also ranked fifth in HSM (R) in BARC’s lists of top five Hindi GEC programmes during primetime based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week. In the HSM (U) market, Kundali Bhagya, Kumkum Bhagya and another soap Ishq Subhan Allah on Zee TV were ranked third, fourth and fifth respectively during the week under consideration.
Climbing up a rank to fifth place in week 28 of 2018 was Star India’s flagship Telugu GEC Star Maa with 572.455 million weekly impressions as compared to 565.462 million weekly impressions in week 27. Star Maa was ranked first in BARC’s weekly list of top five Telugu channels in the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana market. Three programmes that were aired on Star Maa were present in BARC’s weekly list of top five Telugu programmes during primetime based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week.
Viacom18’s flagship Hindi GEC Colors dropped a rank in week 28 of 2018 to sixth place with 561.361 million weekly impressions as compared to 576.642 million weekly impressions in week 27. Colors was ranked fifth in BARC’s weekly list of top 10 Hindi GECs in HSM (U+R) and was ranked first in HSM (U). Naagin 3 found a place in BARC’s weekly list of top five Hindi GEC programmes during primetime based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week in HSM (U+R) and HSM (U), while Naagin 3 was ranked fourth in HSM (R).
SPN’s women focused FTA Hindi GEC retained its seventh rank in week 28 of 2018 with 555.366 million weekly impressions as compared to 555.128 million weekly impressions in week 27 of 2018. Sony Pal was ranked third in BARC’s weekly list of top 10 Hindi channels in HSM (U+R), was ranked second in HSM (R) and was ranked seventh in HSM (U). The sitcom Tarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashmah aired on Sony Pal was ranked third in BARC’s list of top five Hindi GEC programmes during primetime based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week in HSM (R).
Star India’s FTA Hindi GEC Star Bharat also retained its eighth rank with 548.708 million weekly impressions in week 28 as compared to 551.302 million weekly impressions in week 27 of 2018. Star Bharat was ranked fourth in BARC’s list of top 10 Hindi channels in HSM (U+R) was ranked fifth in HSM (R) and was ranked sixth in HSM (U) in BARC’s weekly list of top 10 Hindi GEC channels during the week under review.
Re-entering BARC’s weekly across genres list was Star India’s flagship Hindi GEC Star Plus at ninth rank with 522.935 million weekly impressions in week 28 of 2018. Star Plus was ranked third in BARC’s list of top 10 Hindi GEC in HSM (U).
Dropping down a rank to tenth place was another SPN Hindi movies channel Star Wah with 518.879 million weekly impressions in week 28 as compared to 526.551 million weekly impressions in week 27 of 2018. Sony Wah was ranked second in BARC’s weekly list of top five Hindi movies channels in HSM (U+R), first in HSM (R) and fourth in HSM (U) during week 28 of 2018. HFF Kanchana that aired on the channel was ranked fourth in BARC’s list of top five Hindi movies programmes during primetime based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week in the HSM (R) market.
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.
