Movies
Vissa in revamp mode; dubbed movies, interactivity key programming pull
MUMBAI: Chennai-based Raj Television Network’s (RTN) Telugu channel Vissa TV is gearing for change. Come 5 June, and the channel will sport a fresh look along with a new logo.
In line with the makeover, Vissa will start telecasting dubbed English movies in Telugu. Also in the pipeline is a slew of interactive programmes.
Says Vissa TV executive vice president R Radhakrishnan, “We have been keeping a low profile these days. Now we felt it was time to jazz up a bit. The new shows we are launching will play a crucial role in our revamping process.”
RTN has been uplinking Vissa TV, along with the Tamil channels Raj TV and Raj Digital Plus, from Bangkok since November 2004. The network had to move out its channels to Bangkok as the I&B ministry terminated its teleport licence. The government was acting against RTN uplinking its Vissa TV and now shelved Raj Musix from India without a valid licence.
The present makeover is part of RTN’s decision to change the look and feel of the channels in its network. Raj TV has already started the process and is about to unveil its new logo on 14 May.
Programming initiatives:
With the makeover, Vissa TV is introducing the concept of dubbed English movies in Telugu in June. “We have acquired Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee movies. We will be launching a martial arts movie segment to telecast these movies in the weekends,” says Radhakrishnan.
The channel is also banking on the game show genre to make waves in the market. One of the three game shows, Jackpot, will be an SMS-based live interactive game show.
“The channel has acquired the format rights of the show from a Hungary-based production company and the show will be shot in Hungary,” says Radhakrishnan.
The one hour show is scheduled on week days between 9 pm to 10 pm. Viewers have to register their name and other details through SMS. The channel then picks up one of the registered viewers through a lucky dip and hurls questions at them. Each right answer will carry a certain amount of cash prize and the maximum prize money a viewer can win is Rs 100,000. Vissa will launch the Jackpot in the second week of June.
Chance Le Chance is an interactive on-ground show, slotted for weekends. The on-ground activity will cover all major towns in Andhra Pradesh. The channel will be launching a publicity campaign for Chance Le Chance covering television, print and below-the-line activities. Produced by Vinod Bala, the show has its anchor in popular television personality Uday Bhanu. The event will kick start on 21 May from Warangal.
Vissa TV has also lined up a musical talent show Paadaala Telugu Paatta to identify and promote new talents in lyric writing and playback singing. Anchored by popular playback singer Nithya Santhoshini, the show will have one winner in each category — male singer, female singer and lyrics writer.
The channel will also be launching a daily soap Gharshana in the last week of June. Starring popular artists from Telugu film industry, the serial is produced by Vinod Bala.
Hindi
SC slams Neeraj Pandey over Ghooskhor Pandat title, orders rebrand
SC says film cannot release under current title, seeks new name by February 19.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India has delivered a stern reality check to acclaimed filmmaker Neeraj Pandey, directing a mandatory name change for his upcoming Netflix project, Ghooskhor Pandat. On Thursday, a bench comprising justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan made it clear that creative freedom does not grant a licence to denigrate specific communities.
The title, which translates to Bribe-taking Brahmin, sparked a firestorm of protest from groups arguing the name was a slur against the Brahmin caste. The court’s intervention has now pushed the production into a legal corner, requiring a complete rebranding before the film can be released.
The highlights of the hearing were the sharp observations made by the bench regarding modern filmmaking and social responsibility. Justice Nagarathna pointedly questioned the necessity of using provocative titles that could incite social friction.
“Being woke is one thing. But creating this kind of unrest when there is already unrest in the country… If you use your freedom to denigrate any section of society, we cannot permit it,” the justice remarked during the proceedings.
The court emphasized that the Constitutional principle of fraternity is just as important as the right to free speech. The bench suggested that filmmakers must be mindful of reasonable restrictions, especially when a title appears to target the dignity of a particular group.
Interestingly, this was not the filmmakers’ first encounter with the legal system over this project. Earlier in February, Netflix and Neeraj Pandey had already informed the Delhi High Court that they had made a conscious decision to change the title following the initial public outcry.
Despite this earlier admission, the Supreme Court felt it necessary to formalise the matter. The judges were firm that the film would not see a digital release under its original branding, expressing concern that equating a caste identity with corruption was a step too far for a diverse society.
“Why should any section of society be denigrated? We are not here to allow people to be insulted in the name of entertainment,” the bench noted, while issuing formal notices to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
Representing the makers, counsel for Pandey and Netflix clarified that the word “Pandat” was intended as a colloquial nickname for the lead character, a gritty police officer played by Manoj Bajpayee, rather than a commentary on the priesthood or the Brahmin community.
Regardless of the intent, the court has demanded a formal commitment. Neeraj Pandey has been directed to file an affidavit by 19 February 2026, proposing a new title and confirming that the film’s content does not defame any community.
With the original trailers and social media teasers already scrubbed from the internet, the film is currently in a state of creative redesign. The industry is watching closely, as this ruling sets a significant precedent for how streaming platforms handle sensitive cultural labels in India.
