GECs
Star serves notice to switch off service to Hathway
MUMBAI: Star India on Tuesday served a one-month notice to Hathway Cable & Datacom threatening to disconnect its channels if outstanding dues are not cleared.
The channels within the network that Star has threatened to de-link from Hathway include Star Plus, Star Movies, Star World, Star Gold, Star News, Utsav, Star One, Vijay TV, National Geographic Channel, The History Channel, Channel [V], Hungama TV and the two Walt Disney channels – Toon Disney and The Disney Channel.
A point of note: five years after the Star Group acquired a 26 per cent stake in Rajan Raheja-promoted Hathway Cable & Datacom, the first public face off between the two partners is out in the open.
“There is an outstanding which Hathway owes us as per the contract. We have issued them a notice as per the regulation prescribed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India,” says a Star India spokesperson.
Hathway, however, states the dues to Star India are in the normal course of business credit period. “The essential problem is only with respect to the new pay channel bouquet like Hungama TV and the Disney channels. The problem with the new pay channels is that the customers are not willing to pay additional money. The dispute is due to the customer resistance to the new pay channels,” the company says in a release.
Star’s second bouquet, priced at Rs 22 a month per subscriber, includes Star One, Hungama TV and the two Disney channels.
Hathway has “no dispute” or “outstanding” except in relation to “normal trade credit,” the release adds. “We do not want the customers to be burdened with additional amounts for new pay channels which most of them do not want to watch.”
It may be recalled that Star India on 7 May discontinued, due to non payment of dues, service of its bouquet of channels to Asianet Satellite Communications, a company entirely held by Raheja which is the dominant multi system operator in Kerala.
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.
