GECs
Star Plus to air film on women empowerment on 29 August
MUMBAI: With an aim to inspire a billion imaginations to empower girls, Star Plus will be airing a ground-breaking film titled Girl Rising – Woh Padhegi, Woh Udegi by Academy Award nominee Richard E. Robbins.
The movie will be telecast for the first time in India on 29 August. Girl Rising – Woh Padhegi, Woh Udegi narrates the stories of eight girls across – from Afghanistan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Haiti, India, Nepal, Peru and Sierra Leone – and their fight to overcome impossible odds to realise their dreams.
Actresses Priyanka Chopra and Freida Pinto are also producers and ambassadors for Girl Rising.
Star India CEO Uday Shankar said, “Star Plus has constantly worked to redefine the role of television as an agent of social change. Our aspirational content has especially resonated with the women of this country and has influenced their changing role in society. On this Raksha Bandhan, Star Plus will be presenting Girl Rising – Woh Padegi, Woh Udegi. We believe that the happiness of a nation depends on how we treat our daughters.”
Union Minister of Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi added, “I am very happy about the collaboration between the Ministry’s ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign and girl rising. The child sex ratio in India is a matter of concern for all of us. Time has come to initiate more interventions and consolidate our efforts to secure the future of our girls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chosen the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan to broadcast the film asking families to not only protect the daughters but to also promote their education.”
Chopra said, “Woh Padegi, Woh Udegi it’s what I’ve truly believed in and it’s a motto shared by every one of the amazing women who have joined me on this journey for Girl Rising.”
“We are also very humbled and thankful to have the support of the PM and the remarkable Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign. Together, I know we can all make a difference in getting closer to our objective of ensuring that all girls get through secondary school. Every girl has the right to education and the more girls we educate the more our country stands to gain,” she added.
Pinto said, “There couldn’t be a more appropriate day to bring to every Indian a movement that is so crucial in changing the way we perceive the role of girls and raise our boys in our country.”
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) acting administrator Ambassador Alfonso E. Lenhardt said, “Every day, girls are changing the world. An educated girl has a positive ripple effect on her health, family, community and society as a whole. That is why USAID is committed to girl’s education in India and around the world. This exciting partnership reflects a new model for development–a powerful collaboration of governments, the private sector, civil society and media lending their voices, talents and resources to promote a more inclusive and prosperous India by educating and empowering girls.”
The Hindi version of the two-hour film features actors like Chopra, Pinto, Nandita Das, Madhuri Dixit, Sushmita Sen, Alia Bhatt, Parineeti Chopra and Kareena Kapoor and has voice narration by Amitabh Bachchan.
The campaign is powered through partnerships that include USAID, HP, Intel, Star TV, and Ministry of Women and Child Development’s Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Abhiyan.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
