Factual
Wild tales roar as Warner Bros Discovery unveils Dooars and Americas
MUMBAI: Nature is getting the star treatment this August, with Warner Bros. Discovery rolling out two blue-chip wildlife spectacles across Discovery, Animal Planet, and Discovery+. First up is The Dooars World, which premiered on 15 August with Dia Mirza lending her voice to the Eastern Himalayan wilderness. Directed by debutant Shaon Pritam Baral, the series transports viewers to the biodiverse Dooars region, where red pandas, one-horned rhinos, and vibrant birdlife share fragile harmony with local communities. “The Dooars is a living, breathing world,” Baral noted, calling Mirza’s narration the soulful thread that binds the storytelling. Interestingly, the project was spotted at Waves Film Bazaar, an NFDC initiative.
Hot on its heels came The Americas, which debuted on 18 August with Hollywood heavyweight Tom Hanks narrating an 11-part odyssey from the Arctic to Patagonia. Produced by BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit with Universal Television Alternative Studio, the series has already snagged Emmy nominations for Hanks’ narration and Hans Zimmer’s sweeping score. Expect breathtaking animal drama, from species thriving in icy extremes to the urgent climate challenges rewriting their futures.
Warner Bros. Discovery head of factual entertainment, lifestyle & kids for South Asia Sai Abishek summed it up: “It’s this mix of fresh voices like Shaon and iconic ones like Tom Hanks that makes our storytelling spectacular and memorable.”
Airing weekdays at 9:00 pm on Animal Planet with simulcasts on Discovery, and streaming on discovery+, these shows fuse cinematic grandeur with conservation urgency reminding viewers why the wild will always have the final word.
MUMBAI: India’s most famous hot seat is about to welcome an unlikely first-timer. For the first time on Hindi general entertainment television, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla will appear on Kaun Banega Crorepati, the iconic quiz show hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.
The special episode marks a rare meeting point of boardroom heft and prime-time television, bringing one of India’s most influential business leaders face to face with the country’s most enduring screen legend. It is a crossover that blends intellect, leadership and popular culture, all under KBC’s familiar spotlight.
Birla’s appearance dovetails neatly with the show’s current theme, Jahaan Akal Hai, Wahan Akad Hai, which celebrates the confidence that comes from clarity of thought and knowledge. His presence lends weight to the idea that sharp thinking and conviction are as vital in life as they are in the quiz chair.
In a thoughtful conversation with Bachchan, Birla shared an upbeat view of India’s economic journey, pointing to the nation’s rapid growth and the scale of opportunity opening up across industries and communities. He spoke of momentum, ambition and a future shaped by enterprise and ideas.
The episode is not all serious talk. In lighter moments, Birla confessed his long-standing admiration for Bachchan, calling him his favourite actor and admitting to a touch of nervousness at answering questions in front of the Shahenshah himself. The candour adds a human touch to a man more often seen in headlines than on television sets.
The special episode airs on Monday, 29 December at 9.00 pm on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV.
