GECs
IDBI, Bank of Baroda pick up 20 per cent in B.A.G Infotainment
MUMBAI: The appetite of Indian banks for investing in private FM radio business has begun. IDBI Bank and Bank of Baroda have picked up 10 per cent each in B.A.G Infotainment, the subsidiary company under which B.A.G Films operates its radio business.
“We have offloaded 20 per cent in our radio company to the two banks for Rs 40 million. We are issuing the shares to them on par value,” B.A.G Films managing director Anuradha Prasad tells Indiantelevision.com.
B.A.G Infotainment will also be diluting an additional 20 per cent to a foreign private equity investor at a higher valuation. The promoters of B.A.G will keep the remaining 60 per cent with them.
“We are in advanced negotiations with private equity investors for parting with 20 per cent equity at a higher premium. We hope to finalise the deal soon,” says Prasad.
The government regulation makes it mandatory for the promoter of private FM radio stations to have at least 51 per cent holding in the company. “We could have diluted a further nine per cent but have decided to keep it with us,” says Prasad.
B.A.G has earmarked an investment of Rs 480 million for its radio business. The company has already pumped in Rs 140 million including Rs 50 million towards licence fee for the 10 radio stations it plans to operate in.
The company will kick off its first radio station in March, says Prasad. The stations it has successfully bid for include Patiala, Hissar, Karnal, Simla, Ahmadnagur, Jalgaon, Dhule, Ranchi, Jabalpur and Muzaffarpur.
“We have already lined up 1000 hours of programming. We have ordered for the equipment and are on track to launch the stations as per schedule,” says B.A.G Infotainment chief operating officer Rajiv Mishra.
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.
