News Broadcasting
Urvashi Dholakia to replace Raavee Gupta in ‘KTH’
MUMBAI: The good gals might endear the audience’s hearts on the television, but it’s bad girls who get maximum mileage.
With everything going its way, all that the Balaji Telefilms’ late-night show Kahiin To Hoga (KTH) needed was a strong vamp. And hence steps in Urvashi Dholakia (Komolika of Kasautii Zindagii Kay ) – right into Raavee Gupta’s shoes – to give the show that extra punch.
Urvashi Dholakia: Kahiin… latest attraction
Speaking to indiantelevision.com last night, Dholakia said, “I will now play Archie, originally played by Raavee. Actually, Balaji Telefilms were keen that I take over the reins from Raavee just after a couple of initial episodes, but I had committed myself to a Dandiya Raas show in the US then. Plus, I was also visiting my brother in Canada, so I was away for a month. Perhaps that’s the reason why they did not develop Archie’s track any further.”
When Dholakia returned from her vacation, Balaji contacted her immediately. “We discussed the character – I liked it. It has both negative and positive shades. So I agreed to do it.”
About Arcihe’s role Dholakia said, “The original spoilt brat character of Archie wil undergo major changes in the near future now. The old Archie was constantly chasing Sujal (played by Rajeev Khandelwal). I step in as Archie, when her parents propose marriage offer to Sujal, but he turns it down.” Dholakia said she has already started shooting for KTH.
Besides KTH, Dholakia was also seen in Balaji’s thriller on Sony TV Kya Haadsa Kya Haqeeqat.
Raavee Gupta
While bagging Archie’s role in KTH is a great deal for Dholakia, it brings yet another bad news for Gupta. She was earlier ousted from Balaji’s Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi recently.
As for the serial, though mushy romance still dominates KTH, we suspect that action will start once Dholakia makes her debut.
News Broadcasting
Rajesh Sundaram joins NDTV Profit as senior editor, assignment
The 32-year newsroom veteran has launched channels on three continents and covered everything from 9/11 to South African television
MUMBAI: NDTV Profit has bolstered its newsroom with a hire who has done rather more than most. Rajesh Sundaram, a journalist with over three decades of editorial, managerial and consultative experience across India and international markets, joins as senior editor, assignment, tasked with sharpening the network’s newsgathering and real-time response.
Sundaram’s career reads like a tour of Indian media’s most formative moments. He began at Businessworld in 1994, moved to Zee News as bureau chief across Mumbai and Chennai, then joined NDTV in 2002 as part of its political bureau during a particularly febrile period in Indian politics. A stint as India correspondent for Al Jazeera International followed, where he covered key geopolitical developments and got his first serious taste of the global newsroom.
What sets Sundaram apart, however, is his serial channel-launching habit. At NewsX, he helped get the operation off the ground. At Headlines Today, part of the India Today Group, he served as editor. At News Nation, he helped launch the Hindi news channel and its digital ecosystem. He then crossed continents to lead the launch of ANN7 in South Africa as editor-in-chief, overseeing both television and digital. Back in India, he launched Tamil news channels News7 Tamil and Cauvery News, and later served as principal consultant for the launch of Marathi channel Lokshahi. Most recently, he helped build and lead the Press Trust of India’s video service and content studio, before stints consulting for Business Today and The Himalayan Times.
Rahul Kanwal, chief executive and editor-in-chief of NDTV, left little doubt about what Sundaram is expected to deliver. “The assignment desk is where a newsroom’s intent becomes action,” he said. “Rajesh brings a rare combination of field experience and leadership in building news operations at scale.”
Sundaram has reported from across India and the world, covering elections, civil conflicts, the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the 2008 US presidential election.
At NDTV Profit, he will lead the assignment desk, driving editorial coordination and real-time response across markets and breaking developments. For a business news network sharpening its focus on speed and multi-platform delivery, it has hired a man who has built newsrooms from scratch on three continents. The assignment desk is in good hands.
