GECs
Ashish Kotekar Heads The Q’s Ad Sales Regions
Thiruvananthapuram: Hindi General Entertainment Channel (GEC) The Q has appointed Ashish Kotekar as Head of Ad Sales for the West and South regions. Under the new position, Ashish will be responsible for driving up sales in the two regions, and report directly to CEO Simran Hoon.
Ashish has two decades of sales experience in the media and entertainment industry. Before joining The Q, he was associated with the Zee Network as the zonal head for the west and south regions across Zee Live, Zee Cafe, and Living Foodz. He has also worked with Ten Sports, Star India, Turner, Reliance Broadcast Network, and Sony Entertainment Television in various positions.
“I am excited to embark on this journey with The Q. The Q has already had an exciting growth story in India with its differentiated content approach within a short span. I look forward to working with the team as well as to building new partnerships to help scale the company to newer heights,” said Ashish Kotekar.
The Q CEO Simran Hoon said, “We welcome Ashish to The Q India family. Ashish brings in extensive knowledge and experience across both mature and emerging clients. He will lead The Q’s growth in the Western and Southern markets. We are certain that with Ashish’s understanding and experience, we will be able to further deepen The Q’s presence and help the channel grow in these markets.”
A few days back, The Q had promoted Krishna Menon as its new COO. Menon has been working with The Q since 2018, and the company decided to promote him as the COO for his efforts in growing its business from a small independent channel into one of India’s fastest-growing media brands.
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.
