GECs
Action plan in place, new Zee line-up kicks off 27 August
Zee TV today announced it was ready and willing to take on the best that Star had to dish out while unveiling the relaunch of the flagship channel of the group. Twenty-four new programmes, a new logo and a Rs 150-million marketing and promotional blitz will precede what is an all-out assault by Zee to regain its former status as the numero uno channel of Indian cable and satellite television.
Monday, August 27 at 7:30 pm is when the new initiative starts beaming, says Sandeep Goyal, group broadcasting CEO, Zee Telefilms
Viewer feedback provided the fodder required, which had to primarily include the following ingredients: Exotic overseas locations, other marital relationships, music-based shows, tangled love stories and interactive show formats. All the 24 programmes being introduced incorporate one or more of the five factors.
The promotional spend for the new look programmes will be a whopping Rs 150 million spread over a month, the biggest budget spent by ZEE so far for marketing. This is in addition to the promotions running on all the channels of Zee group. “Outdoors, print, radio, the internet, cross promotion on our TV channels. We will resort to everything to ensure that the shows get top of mind awareness with viewers,” marketing director Partha Sinha said.
The new shows are: Razzmatazz, a dance show, a musical extravaganza which will be compered by actor Arshad Warsi, premiers on Sunday 2 September at 11 am.
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.
