GECs
Asianet to launch two primetime shows
MUMBAI: Malayalam channel Asianet will have changed primetime lineup from 13 September. Suryaputri, produced by PMI India Pvt Ltd, would fill the 7:30 pm slot as Stree oru Swanthanam goes off air while the 10 pm Comedy Show would be replaced by another humour-based show Daily Express.
With Suryaputri, the Mumbai-based entertainment company PMI India is making its foray into Malayalam as a production company. Daily Express is produced by Diana Sylvester who has also been producing Cinemala -the popular Sunday comedy programme on Asianet.
PMI India MD, CEO Ajay Patadia told Indiantelevision.com, “Suryaputri is our first production in Malayalam. This is in line with our expansion strategy in regional languages. Suryaputri is a family entertainer targeted at all age groups. Having got a set of creative people working behind the show, we hope that it will live upto the expectations.”
The channel is airing a curtain raiser of Suryaputri on 11 September from 4 pm to 5 pm. The live programme will be shot simultaneously from the studio and the shooting locations.
Asianet is winding up Comedy Show following a slump in ratings. Asianet vice-president programming Sreekantan Nair told Indiantelevision.com that the channel thought a change would be good since the show was almost three years old. The channel has a lot of expectations from the upcoming show Daily Express as its team consists of almost all the members of the successful Cinemala show. Cinemala is about to complete 675 weeks on Asianet.
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.
