GECs
Eros Intl claims Rs 500 mn opening weekend gross for ‘Salaam-e-Ishq’
MUMBAI: London-listed Eros International has announced that its film Salaam-E-Ishq, which was released worldwide on 25 January on an impressive 1200 screens, has grossed over Rs 500 million in its opening weekend.
Eros India director Viki Rajani said, “With Salaam-e-Ishq enjoying such a fantastic opening response, the film has superseded our expectations. It’s evident that audiences have saluted the flavours of love and appreciated the film worldwide.”
With over 3.1 billion tickets being sold in India every year and the accelerated growth in multiplex cinemas which are driving ticket prices up, Bollywood is well and truly sustaining its 21 per cent CAGR growth. As part of its strategy, Eros is taking a larger slice of the Indian box office and has set up its own distribution offices in Mumbai and Delhi.
In line with Eros’s strategy to broaden the audience for Bollywood films beyond the expatriate community, Salaam-E-Ishq was released with local language subtitles in markets like Germany, Belgium and Holland through mainstream multiplex chains.
Eros International director Sunil Lulla said, “We are delighted with the audience response to Salaam-E-Ishq. Our strategy is a combination of leveraging our distribution network and marketing muscle globally and looking for opportunities to open new markets. We remain focused on this core thread of our business and are excited about our release pipeline”.
After the success of Omkara and Salaam-e-Ishq, Eros’s global release pipeline up to April includes Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya, Vipul Shah’s Namastey London, Chinni Kum starring Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai’s Provoked and India’s first 3D animation film Friends Forever.
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.
