GECs
Star One’s The Great Indian Laughter Challenge Dwitiya clocks the highest ever ratings
Mumbai, June 30, 2006: The Great Indian Laughter Challenge Dwitiya on Star One, the nationwide search for the best comic talent in India has recreated history and set new records!! The two-hour MEGA FINALE episode, which aired on Friday, June 23, 2006 burst through the TRP scales delivering a rating of 7.94 on CS4+ and became the 4th highest ranked shows amongst the Hindi General Entertainment channels.
The Season 2 that captivated the fancy of the entire nation witnessed a robust growth in channel shares touching 3.41 on CS4+ HSM, making The Great Indian Laughter Challenge Dwitiya one of the most successful show launched in 2006.
Basis the TAM media research figures across audiences and markets, The Great Indian Laughter Challenge Dwitiya has decimated well-entrenched competition in the last 4 weeks in the Friday Prime time slot of 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. The show-stealers were the ‘Wizards of Wit ‘ Shekhar Suman & Navjot Singh Sidhu, who donned the judges’ hats for both the seasons.
The Great Indian Laughter Challenge Dwitiya that opened strongly with 5.06 TVR (CS4+ HSM Base) has only grown from strength to strength each week.
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.
