GECs
Zee bags ‘Deewar’ as Independence day treat
MUMBAI: Talk about grabbing it hot off the blocks. Zee has acquired the television broadcast rights for the two- month old “patriotic film” Deewar.
Interestingly, the word is that the channel will be airing its latest acquisition on 15 August, Independence Day, in the Sunday at 8 pm.
When contacted Zee Telefilms Ltd Film Division CEO Nittin Keni confirmed the news.
Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna and Amrita Rao, the movie was based on a prisioners of war story. The movie, which released in June, was made on a Rs 250 million budget, but has barely managed to garner half its production costs thus far the turnstiles.
While bagging the rights for blockbuster like Munnabhai MBBS must have been quite a coup, pouching the rights for Deewar looks like a ‘smart investment’. If the case study of the television premiere of the box office washout Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahati Hoon was anything to go by, then it is even this box-office dud may have its moment of glory when telecast on the tube.
ZEE UK TO AIR BLOCKBUSTER PAK FILM
Zee TV UK is making sure that both Indian and Pakistani viewers stay tuned and connected with what it has to offer. In addition to catering to its Indian viewers on Independence Day, the channel has quite a treat in store for its Urdu movie fans as well. Coinciding with Pakistan’s independence day (14 August), Zee will be screening a Pakistani blockbuster Yeh Dil Aap Ka Huwa at 8:30 pm (GMT).
Dubbed as the most expensive Pakistani film of all time, the film stars well known Pakistani artistes Sana, Moammar Rana, Salim Sheikh and Babar Ali.
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.
