GECs
Viacom18 rejigs top deck as it gears up for the next growth phase
MUMBAI: Viacom18 today announced a management restructuring aimed to consolidate its growing portfolio play as it prepares to further enhance performance through focused content innovation and collaboration across brands.
Manisha Sharma, who has been the force behind the continued success of Colors, has now been elevated to chief content officer, Hindi mass entertainment. In her new role, she will be heading content for the entire HME cluster including Colors and Rishtey. Manisha will now report directly to Viacom18 group CEO and managing director designate Sudhanshu Vats.
In a first for the organization, Viacom18 has unified all revenue across the network under the leadership of chief operating officer Raj Nayak.
Nina Elavia Jaipuria’s role has been expanded to head – Hindi and kids TV network. Her mandate now includes channels across kids and Hindi mass entertainment clusters.
Head of the regional TV network Ravish Kumar will be leading the network’s foray into regional broadcast entertainment across languages and genres.
Ferzad Palia will continue leading the network’s efforts in strengthening Viacom18’s command on youth, music and English entertainment while creating content and experiences for Viacom18’s young audience.
Ajit Andhare will now take on the expanded role of Viacom18 Studios chief operating officer to drive Viacom18 Motion Pictures’ forays into national and regional cinema and build Tipping Point as a brand for digital content production.
Saugato Bhowmik will continue to lead Integrated Network Solutions, building homegrown IPs in experiential entertainment and driving the licensing business under Viacom18 Consumer Products.
All the above will report into Sudhanshu Vats.
“The first decade of Viacom18 marked the hyper-growth phase for us with 50X growth in topline. In order to make Viacom18 future-ready and dial up growth across different lines of business, it is imperative to drive synergies, leverage scale and build content capabilities across screens. As we step into our next phase, it is important that we shape an organizational structure that allows us to retain the garage-nimbleness that got us here while enabling Viacom18’s independent business lines to leverage the synergies that consolidation brings. Integrating our revenues and building content engines to cater to multiple screens across India, under the above leaders, is an important step towards a forward-looking organization,” said Vats.
These organizational changes will be operationalised with immediate effect.
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.
