STAR India has finally got a new CEO. Close to four months after the high-profile exits of Peter Mukherjea and Sameer Nair, STAR has appointed STAR News CEO Uday Shankar as new chief executive.

Senior executives of STAR India and STAR News confirmed the development to ET on Sunday. A formal announcement is expected in the next few days from Hong Kong. However, the STAR spokesperson feigned ignorance when contacted for an official response.

A veteran in the news business, this will be Mr Shankar’s first stint in the general entertainment broadcasting segment. A senior print and television journalist, Mr Shankar joined STAR News in February 2004. (more…)

Close on the heels of former Sahara One CEO Shantonu Aditya’s appointment at UTV, the company has announced that yet another Sahara executive Sameer Ganapathy has been roped in to head the distribution for UTV Broadcasting Ltd.

Ganapathy will report to Aditya, who is executive director of UTV Broadcasting and whose mandate is to set up the entire distribution bouquet of the group’s forthcoming broadcast initiatives. UTV Broadcasting is a 100 per cent subsidiary of the diversified media entity.

Aditya said, “We are delighted to have Sameer join UTV. He brings with him almost a decade of rounded experience in distribution of a broadcasting bouquet. Has seen the distribution space evolve, thus a perfect fit for our forthcoming broadcast venture.” (more…)

Sahara One Media & Entertainment Ltd CEO Shantonu Aditya has quit the organization, with immediate effect.
An official announcement of his resignation released today has put all industry speculation to rest.

Aditya joined Sahara in June 2005 and prior to that he was heading SET Discovery as president.

Show Time: Thursday, Mar 22 at 9 PM on STAR MOVIES

Genre: Action

Duration: 1 hour 53 minutes

Director: Breck Eisner

Cast: Penélope Cruz, Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, William H. Macy

Searching for a treasure on the River Niger, Dirk Pitt thwarts the attempted assassination of a beautiful U.N. scientist investigating a disease that is driving thousands of North Africans to death.

The suspected cause of the raging epidemic is vast, unprecedented pollution that threatens to extinguish all life in the world’s seas.

Racing to save the world from environmental catastrophe, Pitt and his team run a gauntlet between a billionaire French industrialist and a bloodthirsty West African tyrant. (more…)

Show Time:Tuesday, Jan 23 at 9 PM on STAR MOVIES

Genre: Action

Duration: 1 hour 53 minutes

Director: Breck Eisner

Cast: Penelope Cruz, Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, William H. Macy

Searching for a treasure on the River Niger, Dirk Pitt thwarts the attempted assassination of a beautiful U.N. scientist investigating a disease that is driving thousands of North Africans to death. The suspected cause of the raging epidemic is vast, unprecedented pollution that threatens to extinguish all life in the world’s seas.

Racing to save the world from environmental catastrophe, Pitt and his team run a gauntlet between a billionaire French industrialist and a bloodthirsty West African tyrant. in the scorching desert, Pitt uncovers the truth behind his life-long quest - the fate of a Civil War ironclad. (more…)

Show Time:Friday, Oct 20 at 9 PM on Star movies

Genre: Action

Duration: 1 hour 53 minutes

Cast: Penélope Cruz, Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, William H. Macy

Searching for a treasure on the River Niger, Dirk Pitt thwarts the attempted assassination of a beautiful U.N. scientist investigating a disease that is driving thousands of North Africans to death. The suspected cause of the raging epidemic is vast, unprecedented pollution that threatens to extinguish all life in the world’s seas.

Racing to save the world from environmental catastrophe, Pitt and his team run a gauntlet between a billionaire French industrialist and a bloodthirsty West African tyrant. In the scorching desert, Pitt uncovers the truth behind his life-long quest - the fate of a Civil War ironclad. (more…)

Show Time: Friday, Oct 20 at 9 PM on Star Movies

Genre: Action

Duration: 1 hour 53 minutes

Director: Breck Eisner

Cast: Penélope Cruz, Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, William H. M

Searching for a treasure on the River Niger, Dirk Pitt thwarts the attempted assassination of a beautiful U.N. scientist investigating a disease that is driving thousands of North Africans to death.

The suspected cause of the raging epidemic is vast, unprecedented pollution that threatens to extinguish all life in the world’s seas. (more…)

The new music channel of Sahara One Media & Entertainment Limited has been christened hit. he company has appointed Sameer Ganapathy as head of allocation for the Sahara One Television Network, which includes Sahara One, Filmy and also the proposed music channel.

He will report to Sahara One CEO Shantonu Aditya, steps into Rakesh Lamba, who had quit the company late last year. He comes on board from SET Discovery where he was assistant vice president distribution for the western region. Earlier to that he was with Discovery for four years as regional manager distribution (west).

He said, “I am delighted to welcome Sameer to our company. Sameer has over 10 years of experience in distribution and has an excellent track record. With his joining the company, Sahara One will now focus on distribution in a major way and am sure the results will be seen soon.”

Sameer said, “I am very happy to join Sahara One and take on this responsibility. Sahara One is run professionally and has a great team. I look advance to taking up this challenge and working in an excellent environment.”

Ali Ejaz the Pakistani director is all set to direct the first ever India-Pakistan television serial, “Dil Aur Fasley” which will be aired on Indian television channel Sahara One. Sareeta from Sahara One is the co-director of the play. Preetam Kaur the Indian folk singer will sing the titian song of the serial, and Shahid Askari is the assistant director.

Snigdha Akolkar will soon be seen in Sony’s launching serial Vaidehi, She shot to fame with her character, Shyamlee in Shara One’s Hare Kaanch ki Choodiyan. The show will be on air from 5 June 2006. “I play the parallel lead in the show, my character Janaki forming the basic suspence of the show. The show revolves around the lives of two girls,” says Snigdha, refusing to divulge any details.

The show produced by Aroona Irani, stars Sachin Sharma, Pallavi Kulkarni and Nikkhil Arya in important roles. “Janaki will wear simple sarees…she’s a simple girl, who is very mature and has a kid. She is subtle and very level headed,” says Snigdha, who has been shooting non stop for one and a half months for the two shows simultaneously.

Here the scenes are different than Hare…and I have the scope to do a variety of things that I might not be able to do in the Sahara show. I have had no holiday for a very long time, but the best part is that I have two great roles and production houses that are great to work with. My experience with Aroonaji was an amazing one and I am looking forward to Vaidehi going on air,” says the visibly excited actor Snigdha.