GECs
Star One, Star Gold to debut in UK this Nov-Dec
MUMBAI: After Japan, it’s the turn of the UK for Star India channels to spread their wings. Star India has entered into a syndication deal with BSkyB to launch Star One and Star Gold.
Entertainment channel Star One and movie platform Star Gold will debut in the UK later this month or early December on BSkyB, which is over-35 per cent owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.
Star One is already available on US-DirecTV along with, Star Plus, Star News and Star Vijay. Speaking to indiantelevision.com Star India official spokesperson refused to comment on when will Star Gold be available to DirecTV subscribers.
While, on BSkyB, only two of channels –Star Plus and Star News are accessible.
According to information available with Indiantelevision.com, the decision has been taken and most formalities are said to be been completed. The reason for taking these two channels, apart from already existing ones, to the UK is that there’s a sizable Indian-origin population residing there who would pay to watch Indian fare, especially Hindi movies.
However, the programming on Star One and Star Gold may not be a photocopy of what’s seen back home. Reason: copyright issues. Especially those related to the satellite rights of Hindi movies.
Earlier this week, Star had announced launch of five Indian and two international channels in Japan on a new IPTV and community platform World on Demand (WoD). On WoD, Star has launched Star Plus, Star One, Star News, Star Utsav and Vijay, along with Sky News and Fox News.
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.
