GECs
BCCC directs ‘Pehredaar Piya Ki’ to late night slot with disclaimers
NEW DELHI: The Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC), a self-regulatory body under the Indian Broadcasting Foundation umbrella, has asked Sony Pictures Network India to move its fictional serial Pehredaar Piya Ki, aired on one of its channels, to the 10 pm slot and simultaneously run a scroll that it doesn’t promote child marriage.
The soap opera, with a story-line where a minor boy is shown married to a young-adult woman, who also doubles up as his security guard, had come under criticism for allegedly promoting regressive ideas like child marriage, which is an offence under Indian laws.
The BCCC directive to Sony Pictures Networks India, which came on Wednesday, was the first one chaired by its new chief Justice (retd) Vikramajit Sen, according to news agency IANS.
“We had a monthly meeting and the channel officials were called for a discussion, which went on for quite long. After everything, they were directed that the timing of the show should be shifted to a late night slot of 10 pm and that they must run a disclaimer. They (Sony Pictures Networks India) will have to comply,” a BCCC executive was quoted by IANS as saying.
Indiantelevision.com could not independently reach out to SPNI for its comments on the BCCC directive till the time of writing this report, which is based on what news agency IANS has filed.
Since the last BCCC meeting, the body received around 138 fresh complaints against `Pehredaar Piya Ki’, which is produced by Shashi Sumeet Productions and went on air last month. The makers had been defending it, saying viewers must understand the circumstances in which the girl has to marry the boy child, the news agency report stated.
Earlier, some media reports quoted the minister of information & broadcasting (MIB) Smriti Irani, when asked about the controversy surrounding the Sony Pictures Networks India serial, saying that her ministry has asked the BCCC to look into the issue.
The serial stars Tejaswi Prakash Wayangankar as Diya Ratan Singh and Afaan Khan as her husband Prince Ratan Singh.
Set up in June 2011, BCCC is an independent self-regulatory body for non-news general entertainment channels under the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, an apex body of a large number of general and factual entertainment TV channels operating in India. IBF website states its members manage 350+ channels and about 90 per cent of television viewership across country.
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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.
