News Broadcasting
SRK slams critics while picking up BBC award for ‘Don’
MUMBAI: After a month of public voting, the BBC Asian Network in the UK has announced the Film Café Award winners. This, it says, is the only audience-voted online Bollywood award in the UK.
Shah Rukh Khan won the Best Villain award for his controversial performance in the remake of Don. His performance received as many criticisms as it did applause. Shah Rukh was asked if he now felt vindicated in light of the public votes that he received.
He said, “No, you feel vindicated if you believe in the people who give the negative reactions and I never believe in that because it was very clearly a modern day combined with the old Don version and it was targeted at an audience, which may not have seen the old Don.
“We can just assume that the older audience did not like the film but the younger audiences, who we aimed the film at, really enjoyed it. I feel I did a good job and I liked what I did in Don.”
He was even more defiant towards his critics when he spoke to Film Café about his role in Khabhi Alvida Naa Khena, where he plays an adulterous husband.
He remarked, “I have been working for many years … I get surprised that critics get confused between the actor and the role. In Khabhi Alvida Naa Khena I play a guy who is not nice, sleeps with someone else’s wife but that’s a character. You play a grittier character the critics have a problem with that. It’s the ticket-paying audience that counts at the end of the day”.
Aamir Khan was voted Best Actor in the awards for his work in Rang De Basanti. He said, “I am overwhelmed by the response of the audience. It was a difficult film to do as an actor. I am really moved by the response. Film and award ceremonies are so subjective and I don’t take award nights seriously – the film has been made for the audience and they have loved it and that is of prime importance to me.”
Rang De Basanti won the overall vote in four of the eight categories, including best film.
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.
