Factual
Discovery pays tribute to the Armed Forces with Republic Day special line-up
MUMBAI: Discovery Channel, India’s leading destination for factual entertainment, will celebrate Republic Day with a special line-up of shows dedicated to Indian Armed Forces. The channel will air best of shows from Breaking Point franchise– Indian Air Force Academy, High Altitude Warfare School, Indian Submariners as well as Revealed franchise – National Defense Academy and Siachen. The 5 hour long special line-up, offering unprecedented access to the intense, grueling training programs of all wings of Indian Armed Forces, will premiere on Republic Day, January 26, starting 12:00 noon
Breaking Point: The Indian Submariners:
The special show will give viewers a window into the world of complex, high-technology platform like the Submarines who acquire their strength from stealth in a very colloquial manner through the eyes of a common man, and anchor, Harman Singha, who will take audiences into a world which has never been explored before – a journey to live the life of an Indian Submariner; from the classroom to the officers Mess through Escape Training School; to diving to the depths of the seas on board the INS Sindhukirti.
Breaking Point: Indian Airforce Academy:
The show offers a never seen before look into the training imparted at India’s premier Air Force training institution – Air Force Academy located at Dundigul, Hyderabad which is instrumental in shaping the future Air Warriors. Breaking Point: Indian Air Force Academy, packed with emotions including grit, pride, fear and utmost patriotism, captures the life of 4 cadets – Mudit Tewari, Priya Sharma, Amogh Bhandralia and Kartik Thakur – who are in various stages of their training at the Academy.
Breaking Point- High Altitude Warfare School:
Located in Gulmarg, HAWS is a globally acclaimed institution which trains Indian soldiers and attracts soldiers from friendly countries for high & super-high-altitude warfare. The show is first of its kind on Indian Television detailing the rigors of training at HAWS. It will give viewers a glimpse of how the soldiers learn the art of mountain and winter warfare; HAWS is the training ground for all High-Altitude Warfare. Each moment of the show takes the viewer a step closer to how the soldiers are transformed into glorified mountain warriors of the Indian Army.
Revealed- National Defence Academy:
One of the most reputed training academies globally, the National Defence Academy, popularly known as the NDA, holds the distinction of being the first tri-services academy in the world. This show will take viewers inside this fascinating and enigmatic institution, to understand what makes the NDA so exceptional. Steeped in tradition and lore, the one-hour long film delves into the academy’s focus of instilling the qualities of a soldier into a young cadet who in the future will go onto serving his nation with courage and pride and covers the three-year journey of cadets as they make their way through the course.
Revealed- Siachen
The Siachen glacier located in the Karakoram range in the Himalayas is the world’s highest and coldest battleground with army posts at over 21,000 feet. To stay atop on this 77 km long glacier at 5,400 meters altitude means the Indian soldiers have to defy all their physical, mental and emotional limits to safeguard the motherland. The special show will take viewers through the extreme frontline and what it takes to keep the Siachen glacier secure. It will present the remarkable chronicles of the soldiers and their formidable challenges to manage the battlefield where temperatures reach minus 60 degrees.
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.
