DTH
Relive ‘Malgudi Days’ on Tata Sky Classic Cinema
NEW DELHI: Get ready for a trip down memory lane as Tata Sky Classic Cinema is exclusively bringing back the timeless nostalgic series Malgudi Days on your television screen. Based on several heart-warming short stories by RK Narayan, the series is about a bunch of characters leading simple lives in a fictitious small town called Malgudi. The plots revolve around the trials and tribulations faced by the lead character Swami and his friends.
Directed by Shankar Nag, the series features the then famous child actor Master Manjunath and other acclaimed actors including Girish Karnad, Vaishali Kasaravalli, Ananth Nag and Arundhati Nag. The stories of Malgudi Days evoke a feeling of nostalgia and have a strong resonance among audiences who enjoy simple and powerful storytelling.
Shankar Nagarakatte, better known as Shankar Nag, was an Indian actor, screenwriter, director, and producer known for his work in Kannada-language films and television. He directed and acted in this television series, based on celebrated novelist RK Narayan's short stories.
Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami, commonly known as RK Narayan, was an Indian writer known for his work set in the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi. He was a leading author of early Indian literature in English. This collection of short series is based on the book Malgudi Days by him. In 1986, a few of the stories in the book were included in the Malgudi Days television series.
Reminisce these vibrant and memorable short stories only on Tata Sky Classic Cinema. Tune in to channel 318 every Saturday and Sunday at 5 pm.
DTH
DD Free Dish e-auction revenue dips to Rs 642 crore as slot sales fall
Revenue dips as revised norms reshape bidding in 94th round
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati’s DD Free Dish has closed its 8th annual, and 94th overall, e-auction for MPEG-2 slots with total collections of Rs 642 crore for the period April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
That is lower than last year’s Rs 780 crore haul, with 55 slots sold compared with 61 in FY25–26. The softer topline reflects both a slimmer inventory and a recalibrated auction framework.
This was the first auction conducted after amendments to the e-auction methodology, including tighter eligibility norms and a revised reserve price structure for MPEG-2 slots. The stated aim was greater transparency and more serious participation. The immediate outcome appears to be more measured bidding in certain categories.
Day one set the tone. Eight slots were sold, six in the premium Bucket A+ and two in Bucket A. The strong early action in A+, which typically houses Hindi GECs and movie channels, reaffirmed the enduring appeal of mass Hindi programming on the platform.
Among the broadcasters securing slots in the initial rounds were Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Sony Pictures Networks India, Viacom18’s Colors network, Sun Network and Shemaroo Entertainment. Their continued presence signals that, despite the pull of digital platforms, Free Dish remains a strategic must have for legacy networks chasing scale in price sensitive markets.
The final bouquet of 55 channels leans heavily towards Hindi news, movies, devotional fare, Bhojpuri and regional programming.
In Hindi news, familiar heavyweights such as Aaj Tak, ABP News, India TV, News18 India, Republic Bharat and Zee News made the cut. Entertainment and movie offerings include Colors Rishtey, Star Utsav, Dangal TV, Sony Pal, Shemaroo TV, Goldmines, B4U Movies and Zee Biskope. Devotional viewers will find Aastha, Sanskar and Sadhna Gold among the selected channels.
Regional representation includes Sun Marathi, Fakt Marathi, PTC Punjabi and GTC Punjabi.
Equally telling were the absences. Broadcasters such as Big Magic, Filamchi Bhojpuri, India News, Bharat Express, Movieplex Maithili, TV9 Marathi, Shemaroo Marathibana, Zee Chitra Mandir and Satsang did not participate. The pullback is particularly visible across Marathi, Bhojpuri, Maithili and spiritual programming. Industry observers point to the revised reserve prices, tighter eligibility norms and a reassessment of commercial viability as possible factors.
DD Free Dish continues to beam into over 40 million homes, largely in rural and semi urban India. For advertisers and broadcasters alike, it offers efficient access to Bharat markets where pay TV penetration remains uneven and OTT subscriptions are limited.
The moderation in revenue this year may be read as a pause rather than a retreat. Fewer slots, a reworked auction playbook and evolving broadcaster strategies have clearly shaped outcomes. Yet premium Hindi entertainment retains its pull, and the platform’s mass reach remains hard to ignore.
As the FY26–27 line-up settles in, the mix of winners and walkaways will define the private satellite channel landscape on DD Free Dish for the year ahead.
