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Vibhu Agarwal announces foray into TV broadcasting with Hindi GEC
Mumbai: OTT app founder Vibhu Agarwal has announced his foray into the broadcasting space with the launch of a new Hindi general entertainment channel whose name is yet to be revealed. The channel will primarily cater to the target audience of 15 plus years.
In the past, Agarwal has produced a Bollywood film and numerous web series content.
The GEC is slated to launch in the first half of the new financial year and will have both fiction and non-fiction series spanning genres like action, comedy, and thrillers. Unlike other GECs, however, the channel will run finite series where each show will have a limited number of episodes.
Television revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of four to five per cent and reach Rs 826 billion by 2024, as per EY-FICCI media and entertainment 2022 report. The revenue from subscriptions for TV channels is expected to reach Rs 415 billion in 2022. Pay TV will continue to grow as states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and West Bengal get electrified. Free TV subscribers are expected to cross 50 million in 2025.
The report predicted overall growth of TV connections at a pace of five per cent per year to cross 67 per cent of Indian households by 2025.
“We have experienced tremendous success in terms of subscription and popularity with our unique offering on our flagship OTT Platform,” said Vibhu Agarwal. “Over the last three years, we have built a formidable content library spanning multi-genre content and age groups. While the digital entertainment space is poised to grow exponentially, the broadcasting industry is here to not just stay but also grow.”
He added, “Our new Hindi general entertainment channel will have a varied bouquet of shows targeting all segments of society. It will be heavy in both fiction and non-fiction which will have genres like thriller, crime, comedy, horror, and suspense, and star some of the most renowned actors. We will be working with the best of production houses and the most noteworthy talent across to bring content-rich hours of programming. Each show will have slick production value, a novel concept, differentiated narrative, characterisation, and a finite run time. The shows will also be available on the television channel’s own new OTT App wherein the audiences will be able to watch them at their own leisure. This is our commitment to bring entertainment to the household of every Indian across the country that enjoys and understands Hindi.”
The channel will be distributed across Tata Sky, Airtel Digital TV, Dish TV and d2h, and cable networks such as Hathway, Den, and GTPL in India, as per the statement.
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.
