GECs
Zeel adds more zeal with Mihir Modi as CFO
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) today appointed Mihir Modi as chief finance & strategy officer in place of Hitesh Vakil, who is now elevated as CEO – service excellence.
Recognising his valuable contribution, the company has elevated Hitesh Vakil as the CEO – service excellence
Hitesh Vakil has been with Zeel for the last 19 years, and has been an integral part of the company’s journey of over two decades. Recognising his valuable contribution, the company has elevated him as the CEO – service excellence, making him responsible of setting up a state-of-the-art shared service centre which will offer shared services across the group.
Modi, a chartered accountant and post graduate in management from Indian School of Business (ISB), comes with over 16 years of experience spanning across M&A, strategy, finance and general management in diverse businesses across Europe, Africa and India in varied roles. His last assignment was as CFO-Darling Business (JV between Godrej and Darling Group) at Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. Modi as chief finance & strategy officer will be responsible for finance, strategy and business development.
Modi’s appointment is with effect from 10 October, 2013 and he will directly report in to Zeel MD & CEO Punit Goenka.
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.
