GECs
Modi Entertainment hopes to push FTV’s ad sales
Modi Entertainment Network (MEN) Television was in the process of working out a plan to increase ad sales for the French channel Fashion TV CEO Rajan Kaaicker said, a day after being served a legal notice by B4U Television Network chief distribution officer Debashish De for breach of contract over a distribution and marketing agreement the two parties had signed.
B4U’s contract with Fashion TV runs till 2005 and the deal signed between FTV and MEN on 9 August was illegal, De has said therefore the notice. Henceforth, both B4U Entertainment (soon to be B4U movies) and B4U Music would be handled by the network itself, De said.
Putting forth MEN’s position in the matter, Kaaicker said FTV had terminated its agreement with B4U over two months previously and the approach for a deal had been initiated by FTV. MEN was just one among a number of major players it had approached for a tie-up, Kaaicker While admitting that he had received a legal notice from B4U he said MEN had in no way violated any of the terms of its contract with the network and added that his lawyers would be filing a suitable response in due course. Kaaicker said that in fact it was B4U that was in breach of contract because MEN had honoured its part of the bargain in full and would continue to do so.
On what the agreement with FTV entailed, Kaaicker said Men’s brief was not only to distribute the channel but also to work out ways to increase ad revenues (virtually non-existant at this juncture). As to what were the initiatives that were being introduced to achieve this, Kaaicker could provide no details except to say that over the next quarter the results would be seen. Reacting to reports that the fashion channel was in the process of going pay, Kaaicker said it was not an option at all at this point. The focus at present was to promote the channel and increase ad revenues, he added.
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.
