News Broadcasting
Zee denies scrapping 16 serials
Zee Telefilms on Friday denied press reports that it planned to drop 16 serials currently airing on the channel.
Sainath Aiyar, Head Corporate Communications, said there was no substance in the reports that said Zee was dropping the serials in an effort to get the punch back in its programme selection.
Falling ratings and the bad press and legal headaches surrounding the suspension of its failed game show Sawaal Dus Crore Ka (SDCK) have pushed Zee on the defensive and Aiyar was quite outraged by the number of ‘uncorroborated’ reports about the beleaguered channel which were circulating.
Indiatelevision.com put it to Aiyar that the lead time the channel had given itself to correct the inherent flaws in SDCK was way too short. It was pointed out to him that Jeeto Chappar Phaad Ke, Sony’s answer to Star TV’s Kaun Banega Crorepati gameshow, had been in gestation since August for a planned January release. According to press reports, the new avatar of SDCK is scheduled to go on air in the first week of January. Aiyar clarified that the new show would only be aired when the Zee team felt confident of its having the strength to sustain itself and that could be anytime in January, not necessarily in the first week.
Mumbai’s Mid-Day newspaper reported on Friday that the show was likely to finally reappear with a new name attached – Aao Chakkar Chalayen. As for who will host the show, the names doing the rounds other than Ashutosh Rana are: Dilip Kumar, Feroz Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Naseeruddin Shah and Madhuri Dixit.
Will the new improved SDCK really see the light of day in January? Or will Zee cut its losses and give the show a quiet burial? That is the real ‘sawaal dus crore kA (Rs10 crore question).
News Broadcasting
TV9 to host What India Thinks Today Summit 2026 in Delhi
PM Narendra Modi to keynote two day forum on India and the world
NEW DELHI: TV9 Network is gearing up to host the fourth edition of its flagship What India Thinks Today Summit 2026 on March 23 and 24 in the national capital, bringing together a wide spectrum of voices to debate India’s place in a shifting global order.
The summit will open with a keynote address by Narendra Modi, setting the tone for this year’s theme, “India and the world”, as the country positions itself at the crossroads of economic growth, geopolitical shifts and technological change.
From cabinet ministers to chief ministers, business leaders to cultural figures, the event promises a crowded stage and a lively exchange of ideas. Union ministers such as Piyush Goyal and Jyotiraditya Scindia are expected to attend, alongside state leaders including Mohan Yadav, Pushkar Singh Dhami, Bhajan Lal Sharma, Nayab Singh Saini and Bhagwant Mann.
Political voices from across the aisle, including Smriti Irani, Akhilesh Yadav and Asaduddin Owaisi, will also join the conversation, ensuring that the debates are as diverse as they are dynamic.
Adding a cultural and sporting touch, personalities such as yoga guru Swami Ramdev, poet Kumar Vishwas and cricketing names like Sourav Ganguly, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh are set to share the stage. Global business leaders and diplomats will further widen the lens, reflecting the summit’s international outlook.
Speaking ahead of the event, TV9 Network managing director and chief executive officer Barun Das, said India stands at a unique moment in history, combining demographic strength, technological capability and entrepreneurial energy. He noted that in uncertain times, honest conversations and bold ideas will shape the country’s trajectory.
The summit will explore themes ranging from economic growth and governance to innovation, sustainability and culture, positioning itself as a platform for dialogue at a time when the world is in flux.
With a packed agenda and a high-profile guest list, What India Thinks Today Summit 2026 aims to do more than just talk. It seeks to capture a moment where India is not only part of the global conversation, but increasingly helping lead it.
