Indian TV news channels perform two primary functions. They tell you how “anti-national” people they don’t like are, and they tell you how nationalist they themselves are. Entire shows are devoted to the rashtra.

So, this Independence Day, we bring you a special episode with a rashtravadi flavour. How “nationalist” are the nationalist shows on TV news? Where do they stand when weighed against actual nation-building indicators?

Inspired by all this chest-thumping, we also bring you our own recipe for how to make a rashtravadi show, with a special segment on the OG of rashtravadi news anchors – Sudhir Chaudhary. Lakhu and Garibdas make an appearance too.

Watch!

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TV Newsance is Newslaundry’s weekly media critique and political satire show. We watch TV news so you don't have to! If you like what we do, don’t forget to subscribe to Newslaundry. For when the public pays the public is served, when the advertiser pays the advertiser is served.