GECs
‘Comedy Nights Live’ to replace Kapil’s show on Colors from 31 January
MUMBAI: After grabbing headlines for weeks now and being the talk of the town – amongst viewers and the industry alike – Colors’ flagship comedy show Comedy Nights With Kapil is all set to come alive in a new avatar but sans Kapil Sharma.
Re-christened as Comedy Nights Live, the show will be hosted by actor – comedian Krushna Abhishek and will go on air from 31 January. The show will aired on Sundays at 10 pm.
It may be recalled that Colors’ other comedy show, Comedy Nights Bachao, which is based on the format of roast comedy, also has Abhishek along with other comedians like Bharti Singh etc. The show airs on Saturdays at 10 pm.
While Comedy Nights With Kapil was jointly produced by SOL Production and Kapil Sharma’s K9 Productions, Comedy Nights Live will be produced by Vipul D Shah’s Optimystix Entertainment India.
Colors will air the final episode of Comedy Nights With Kapil on 24 January, which also happens to be the day when the Bigg Boss 9 finale will take place.
“It’s good for Comedy Nights Live as the time band is already established, therefore it will do well. Initially for the first two – three weeks, ad rates for the 10 second slot will be slightly lower by Rs 20,000- 25,000 but if the show performs well, then it might go up,” a senior media planner tells Indiantelevision.com.
While there have been questions raised about how the show will perform without Kapil Sharma, another media observer opines, “It’s a format that the channel has to follow. Let’s give Krushna a chance as he has performed well in his others shows including Comedy Circus. Even Comedy Nights Bachao is performing well.”
Launched on 22 June, 2013, Comedy Nights with Kapil will complete 192 episodes on 24 January. How successfully Krushna fits into Sharma’s big shoes and does justice to the show, only time tell.
GECs
Asianet Television Awards 2026 celebrates women power in Malayalam TV
“She is the Colour” theme honours icons as ceremony airs on March 14 and 15 at 7 PM.
MUMBAI: If television lights up living rooms, this year Asianet decided to let women provide the colour. The Asianet Television Awards 2026 turned the spotlight firmly on women empowerment with the theme “She is the Colour”, celebrating the strength, resilience and achievements of women who continue to shape society and the Malayalam entertainment industry.
The ceremony honoured several distinguished personalities whose journeys have left a lasting cultural imprint. Among them was legendary playback singer Vimala Varma, widely recognised as the first Malayalam playback singer. The evening also paid tribute to Padma Shri awardees Devaki Amma and Vimala Menon for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields.
Leading women from the Malayalam film industry were also recognised during the event, including actor Shweta Menon, who currently serves as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, and National Award winning actor Surabhi Lakshmi.
The awards ceremony brought together a glittering lineup of actors and industry figures, including Jayasurya, Vijay Babu, Asha Sarath, Lena, Esther Anil, Anumol, Akhila Bhargavan, Sarayu Mohan, Prajod Kalabhavan, Gayathri Suresh, Sabumon Abdusamad, Swasika, Tini Tom, Sijoy Varghese, Kailash, Veena Nandakumar, Sabareesh Varma, Ansiba Hassan and Dinesh Prabhakar. Kishan Kumar, executive vice president Malayalam at JioStar, was also present at the event.
Beyond individual recognitions, the awards celebrated excellence across Malayalam television, acknowledging artists and technicians whose work continues to drive the industry forward.
The evening also offered plenty of spectacle, with elaborate dance performances, stunt acts and comedy skits performed by popular television and film personalities, turning the ceremony into a full fledged entertainment showcase.
Viewers will get to watch the celebrations when the Asianet Television Awards 2026 air on Asianet on March 14 and 15, Saturday and Sunday, from 7 pm onwards, bringing the star studded tribute to homes across Kerala and beyond.
