Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Over four days this month, as India and Pakistan edged dangerously close to their most serious standoff since 1999 Kargil, most Indian newspapers took the high road. They stuck to official statements, triple-checked their facts, and behaved like grown-ups.
Television, however, decided to defenestrate the basics.
Across prime-time slots, some of Indian TV’s biggest names traded facts for foghorns and turned their studios into virtual war rooms complete with sirens, fake reports, and enough chest-thumping to trigger a mild seismic event. These anchors didn’t just blur the line between news and nationalism, they bulldozed it.
The pinnacle of such nation wants drama moments was when TV celeb and retired Indian Army veteran Gaurav Arya called Iran’s foreign minister “son of a pig” and even wrote 'pig' on the screen showing a news item about Abbas Araghchi’s visit to India and Pakistan.
The Indian embassy in Tehran had to issue a clarification: "The Embassy of India in Iran wishes to clarify that the person in this video is a private Indian citizen."
But apart from that, here are five of the most enthusiastic fictioneers from the early May madness, rated not just by the damage done but also by the sheer creative flair with which they ignored reality.
1. Anjana Om Kashyap (Aaj Tak)
One of Aaj Tak's most recognisable faces – thanks also to a demonetisation-era video about currency notes with microchips (spoiler alert, that was fake news too) – Anjana Om Kashyap positioned herself as duty-bound to inform the nation, solemnly declaring that India had "successfully surrounded Pakistan from all sides" and launched a "massive attack" on Lahore and Islamabad.
Sirens blared, maps flashed, and none of it was true. When government statements contradicted these reports, Kashyap continued to stand by her coverage instead of issuing clarifications.
The Telegraph Online rating: Imagination Index: 9/10. Damage Control Score: 0/10.
2. Sweta Singh (Aaj Tak)
Joining Kashyap in this high-octane fiction hour, Sweta Singh brought her own brand of confident chaos.
She read “breaking news” straight off her phone, reporting a supposed fidayeen (suicide) attack in Kashmir that the army later denied – while fighting Pakistan.
Delivered with grave concern and absolute certainty, her words sparked real panic in already tense border areas.
The nation was informed, just not accurately.
Telegraph Online rating: Verified Vibes: 1/10. WhatsApp Forward Energy: 11/10.
3. Gaurav Sawant (India Today)
India Today’s executive editor took things up a notch by announcing, with full graphics and gravitas, that the Indian Navy had attacked Karachi. He went on to brag about how this was the first such strike since 1971.
It was bold, dramatic, and completely made up.
Sawant frequently paired real historical facts with imaginary present-day developments, garnished with flashy VFX and thunderous background scores, turning his segments into a surreal, Netflix-meets-newsroom spectacle.
When reality caught up, he stayed quiet and carried on.
Telegraph Online rating: Historical Fiction Score: 10/10. Accountability Index: 0%.
4. Arnab Goswami (Republic TV)
If Indian television had a lead actor in this drama, it was Gen, Arnab Goswami. Known for his no-prisoners style, Goswami went ballistic when US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire on May 10. "This is typical Trump overreach... I don't buy this, and we will finish this," Goswami thundered.
Moderation, as ever, was the enemy. Peace was painted as betrayal, and every military move had to lead to Pakistan’s obliteration — or bust. Nuance wasn’t welcome in the studio that night.
Telegraph Online rating: Decibel Level: Maxed Out. Ceasefire Compatibility: Negative.
5. Unnamed anchors at Zee News and TV9 Bharatvarsh
Though less individually prominent, these anchors collectively put on a show. A Zee News anchor triumphantly declared that "Karachi port has been demolished" by the Indian Navy — all with sirens and applause. TV9 Bharatvarsh went a step further, claiming “multiple explosions” had rocked Karachi, while saying they couldn’t reveal more “because we are responsible.”
One anchor – forgive us for not remembering his name or channel, we were bamboozled – declared that if any Pakistani child had an assignment about drawing the country’s map they should wait till the morning because the map would change by then, courtesy the Indian armed forces.
It was like watching a play about a war that hadn’t happened, performed with the passion of people who very much wished it had
Telegraph Online rating: Subtlety Meter: Flatlined. Drama Factor: Curtain call-worthy
