GECs
Star to take 25 % stake in Balaji Telefilms
MUMBAI: They have been closely bonded for a while now. The Jeetendra Kapoor promoted Balaji Telefilms has been Star India’s leading winning content provider for more than four years.
The bonds are about to get stronger with the announcement by Balaji that its board had approved a proposal for a Star Group affiliate to soak up 25.1 per cent of its equity.
According to a financial analyst that indiantelevision.com spoke to, the buzz has been in the market for a while now regarding this deal, which is why the Balaji scrip has “skyrocketed” in the last month or so. The share, which on 8 July was Rs 57, closed today at Rs 92.15.
Under the terms of the proposal, Balaji will be preferentially allotting 17,263,790 shares and/or share warrants convertible into equity shares representing up to 25.1 per cent of Balaji’s total post-issue paid up capital to Star affiliate Asian Broadcasting FZ-LLC. The investment, a notice posted on the National Stock Exchange site says, will be done as follows:
* 13,694,193 equity shares constituting 21 per cent of Balaji’s post issue paid up equity share capital (initial shares) at Rs 90 per share;
* Share warrants convertible into unto 3,569,597 equity shares constituting unto 4.1 per cent of Balaji’s post issue paid up equity share capital (the warrants) at Rs 90 per share with 10 per cent of the consideration for the warrants being paid to the company at the time of the warrants are being issued. The warrants shall be convertible into equity shares for a period of 18 months from the date of their issue only if and to the extent that, the investor’s shareholding at the time of conversion is less than 26 per cent of the total paid up equity share capital of the company.
Commenting on the “buy-in”, Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea had this to say, “Balaji has been a content provider for a long time and we thought that the relationship should be made more formal.”
According to Star India COO Sameer Nair, “This is a very strategic investment for us. Balaji, because it’s one of the best production houses, and also since we share a very healthy relationship with them.”
Talking about what this would mean for Balaji Telefims, Nair says, “Well, this is an investment and will have no bearing on Balaji’s role as a content provider to channels per se.”
Asked as to how other broadcasters would react to the development, Nair says, “I think the other channels should look at this in a very mature manner. It happens all over the world, and its time we mature as a market and stop calling ourselves a nascent market.”
Balaji informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that Asian Broadcasting will be making an open offer to acquire shares from the market a price determined in accordance with SEBI Regulations, 1997.
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.
