GECs
Zee acquires telecast rights to ‘Kyon Ki…’ & ‘Garam Masala’
MUMBAI: Kyon Ki… on Zee TV? No, we are not talking about the ‘mother of all soaps’. Zee Telefilms has acquired the telecast rights to the Diwali releases Kyon Ki… and Garam Masala, both directed by Priyadarshan.
Zee Cinema will premiere the movies within the next four to eight months.
According to industry estimates, Zee has paid Rs 40 million each for the rights of the two movies. While the Bollywood trade has already labelled Garam Masala a hit, Kyon Ki…, produced by Sunil Manchanda and Mukesh Talreja, is struggling at the box office. Garam Masala is a Venus Films production.
Zee Cinema business head Bharat Ranga, while refusing to enter into any discussion on acquisition costs, did confirm to indiantelevision.com that the two films were with his channel and that they would be premiered in the next four to eight months. “Presently, both the movies are having their run in the theatres. Hence, we are not planning anything at this moment,” Ranga said.
On Zee’s movie acquisition strategy, Ranga divulges, “The last big movie we acquired was Aitraaz in 2004. We don’t believe in going after all the big releases. After Aitraaz, these are the two big acquisitions we have done. In between, we had acquired some low-profile movies as well as old flicks. But they had been delivering us good numbers. For example, the (flop) Amitabh Bachchan starrer Ganga Jamuna Saraswati recorded 2.8 TVRs when it was telecast recently.”
This development could well point to a move on Zee’s part to get more aggressive on the acquisitions front. More so with rivals like Star going into overdrive to revive its as yet still struggling movie channel, Star Gold. The channel premiered one of Pryadarshan’s hit comedy movies Hulchal this September, which is why the news that these two films had gone to Zee Cinema came as a bit of a surprise. Other mega movies Star has bought this year are Virudh, Black and Paheli.
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.
