GECs
‘Antakshari’ to complete 400th episode, winnings to go towards for earthquake relief
Antakshri, the successful game and entertainment show from Zee TV, completes its 400th episode next week and Zee Telefilms is using the occasion in its earthquake relief efforts. This is apart from the fact that the network has also adopted one village for rehabilitation.
‘Antakshari’ which almost immediately become a runaway success after Zee first introduced it in September 1993, has been running for more than seven years and is one of the channel’s most popular programmes and has enjoyed consistently high ratings.
The network has decided to arrange special shows where celebrities will participate as contestants and the award money will go towards quake relief. The shoot will take place from Saturday 17 February to 23 February at Water Kingdom at Gorai.
A total of 14 episodes will be shot with celebrities from different fields like news readers, models, pop singers, vintage artists, etc. The list of news readers include names like Shammi Narang, Nidhi Kulpathi, MK Jha, Poonam Sharma, Sadhana Shrivastava, Shahidi and Geetika. The amount that participants win will be handed over to a victim’s family after the show, who will be a special guest for that event.
Zee Network has already adopted ‘Samakhyali’ village in Gujarat for rehabilitation. “The other nitty-gritty’s are in the process of finalisation, and soon we will come out with a proper plan,” says a Zee executive.
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.
