English Entertainment
R. Madhavan joins National Geographic’s quest to unravel whether some of India’s greatest Icons are ‘Born or Made’
MUMBAI: National Geographic announced today, the final list of India’s biggest personalities that it will feature in its upcoming series, ‘Mega Icons’. The brand had announced earlier in July, that cricketer Virat Kohli and politician & actor Kamal Haasan would be two personalities it will showcase in this new series, which has a unique format. The complete set of Icons that has been released now, brings together some of the most inspiring personalities, selected carefully from varied walks of life. This includes former president of India – APJ Abdul Kalam, spiritual leader & Nobel laureate Dalai Lama, and social activist & India’s first women IPS officer Kiran Bedi. Additionally, the brand has roped in R. Madhavan, who will be the host of the series.
Premiering in September with Virat Kohli’s life story, each episode of the 5-part series will dig deep into the lives of these five Icons. In the series, National Geographic and R. Madhavan, with the help of acclaimed scientists and expert psychoanalysts, will scratch beneath the surface to magnify milestone instances in the Icons’ lives. This new format to look into the lives of Icons who inspire millions, will be used to question whether these personalities were born to be different, or were moulded into greatness by their life experiences.
Commenting on the series, R. Madhavan said, “We enjoy watching each ball rushing towards the fence from Virat’s bat. And the excellence that Kamal Hassan brings to the silver screen. But sometimes, we all sit back and wonder -what really has made these Icons what they are today? Were these personalities just born to be great, and their success defined from day one? Or did their journey through life, their experiences and hard work, really shape them into the giants we revere. I am excited to join National Geographic to decode this mystery, and bring to viewers a completely new and incredible perspective of what really goes into making an Icon.”
Commenting on the show, Shruti Takulia, Head – Productions, National Geographic & FOX Networks Group India said, “National Geographic has always been driven by the power of exploration and curiosity to unravel the mysteries of our world. With Mega Icons, we aim to dive deep into the lives of India’s most exalted men and women to find the answer to an elusive question – are geniuses born or made? To start this conversation, we are glad to bring R. Madhavan on board as the host for the series. Having appeared in films from seven different languages, donned multiple hats of actor, writer, producer and television host, Madhavan has a national appeal and an astute and curious mind. We are certain that he, along with the scientists and experts featured in our series, will be able to feed the curiosity of our viewers, who are always on a look out for unique ways to comprehend the power of science and exploration.
English Entertainment
Ellison takes his Paramount-Warner Bros case straight to theater owners
The Skydance chief goes to CinemaCon with promises and a skeptical crowd waiting
CALIFORNIA: David Ellison strode into a room packed with thousands of cinema owners and executives at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Thursday and did something rather bold: he looked them in the eye and asked them to trust him.
The chief executive of Paramount Skydance vowed that his company would release a minimum of 30 films a year if regulators greenlight its proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, a deal that has made theater owners deeply, and loudly, nervous.
“I wanted to look every single one of you in the eye and give you my word,” Ellison told the crowd. “Once we combine with Warner Bros, we are going to make a minimum of 30 films annually across both studios.”
It was a confident pitch. Whether it landed is another matter. Cinema operators have already called on regulators to block the deal, and scepticism in the room was hardly concealed.
Ellison pushed back by pointing to recent form. Paramount, born from the merger of Paramount Global and Skydance Media last August, plans to release 15 films this year, nearly double the eight it put out in 2025. Progress, he argued, was already underway.
He also threw theater owners a bone they have long been chasing: all films, he pledged, would run exclusively in cinemas for a minimum of 45 days, drawing applause from a crowd that has spent years fighting for exactly that commitment across the industry.
“People can speculate all they want,” Ellison said, “but I am standing here today telling you personally that you can count on our complete commitment. And we’ll show you we mean it.”
Fine words. The regulators, however, will have the last one.
