GECs
B4U’s Neeraj Arora joins rival Set Asia as VP international business
MUMBAI: B4U’s head of international business Neeraj Arora has switched over to rival Sony Entertainment Television Asia (SET Asia).
Arora, who was senior vice-president international business development at B4U, has joined SET Asia as vice-president for international business.
SET Asia’s international business executive vice-president Rajan Singh announced the appointment yesterday.
Althought the UK cable frat has been abuzz with the rumours about Arora’s likely move to Sony since the last week of July, both SET Asia and B4U had been non-commital on the issue till yesterday.
Commenting on Arora’s appointment Singh offers, “Neeraj is a seasoned TV executive who truly understands the nature of the international South Asian pay-TV sector. He is very well equipped to deal with the demands of a very competitive environment and I m sure that with him on board our international business will continue to go from strength to strength.”
Arora will now be responsible for SET Asias operations outside of the Indian subcontinent and will report directly to Singh.
Based in London, he will oversee sales, marketing and distribution efforts in over 100 countries around the world with responsibility for major operations in the UK and Europe, Africa, North America, the Middle East and Australasia.
Prior to his appointment at SET Asia, Arora was B4U Network’s senior vice president for international business development and was primarily responsible for the channels European, Middle Eastern and African operations.
Arora had been with B4U since it launched in 1999 along with SET Asia as a subscription based network in the UK. He was the highest ranking executive at B4U, which is London-based.
Before this, Arora was employed at Zee Network where he was responsible for the channels distribution and marketing in the UK and Europe and also oversaw the channels migration from analogue to digital satellite.
A native of Allahabad, India, Arora now lives in Middlesex with his wife and two children. He holds a BA degree from the University of Allahabad in Economics, Philosophy and Social Sciences.
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.
