GECs
17th IIFA to highlight 60 years of Indian-Spanish diplomatic ties
New Delhi: The seventeenth edition of the International India Film Academy weekend is expected to be one of the biggest with the presence of over 150 film actors and an audience of around 150,000 over four days.
IIFA founder Sabbas Joseph from Wizcraft said that the event will also be the highlight of the events to mark the sixtieth anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Spain.
He said a prominent Spanish festival, Mulafest, had been timed to coincide with IIFA as people from Spain had become familiar with Indian cinema and the star craze after the reception the film ‘Zindagi na milegi dobara’ which was the first to be shot in that country received a grand reception.
Joseph said further that the IIFA weekend which has now covered four continents will also have the tenth FICCI Global Business Forum meet where the Indian delegation is being led by FICCI’s Harshavardhan Neotia
The IIFA Weekend is from 23 to 26 June and the awards night will be hosted by actors Farhan Akhtar and Shahid Kapoor. The awards evening will have performances among others by Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Sonakshi Sinha, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, and Deepika Padukone.
Spanish Embassy Charge de’Affaires Magdelena Cruz said several events had been held in Spain to mark the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties. Coordinator general of the city of Madrid Luis Custo said cinema was a bridge of the road between the two countries and would bring the people of the two together.
Colors CEO Raj Nayak said the event would be seen in 135 countries. Revealing a line-up of various programmes, he said that ’24 Part Two’ by Anil Kapoor would be aired this year, apart from the tenth edition of Bigg Boss.
FICCI Joint Secretary General Ambika Sharma said that a number of chief executive officers of major firms would be attending the Business Forum being held in collaboration with the Spanish and the Madrid Chambers of Commerce. She also hoped there will be ministerial participation both from India and Spain.
While Videocon d2h is the weekend title sponsor, Maruti Suzuki India Limited is the title sponsor for the awards. The cause sponsors are Hero Cycles. The event will be telecast on Colors.
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.
