GECs
Bangalore non-Kannada film exhibitors seek Bollywood support
BANGALORE: The Karnataka Cinema Theater Owners Association (KCTOA) has invited film personalities from Bollywood including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya and the South Indian stars Rajnikant and Chiranjeevi to take part in a solidarity march against the Karnataka government panel recommendations which enforced a moratorium on the non-Kannada films’ release in the state.
Media reports quote eminent producer Yash Chopra as saying “After all something as to be done. We producers are losing lakhs of rupees every day because Karnataka has stopped the release of our films. We are trying to release our movies in Pakistan and we can’t do it in our own country? Let them give all benefits to Kannada films, but in a cosmopolitan city like Bangalore how can they stop other movies from screening?”
The government is already under pressure from the center to resolve the issue following the meeting of various Bollywood personalities and exhibitors had with the Prime Minister and I&B minister Jaipal Reddy. Karnataka CM has instructed the film panel chairman and additional chief secretary (Finance) K P Pandey to call for a meeting and sort out the problem on 2 September. According to reports, as on date Pandey has still not called for an emergency meeting of the panel he himself heads.
The reports quote the Karnataka Film Producers Association (KFPA) president Basant Kumar Patil challenging the superstars to come to Bangalore. He has claimed that many non-Kannada theater exhibitors were against closing down of the theatres. The KFPA has organized a ‘safeguard’ ten-man team of producers to stage a dharna supported by all producers in front of theaters on Saturday.
As reported by Indiantelevision.com, the government sponsored panel headed by the Pandey had recommended that non-Kannada Films be released in Karnataka only after seven weeks from the date of release in their own states and that only six prints of each film be permitted for the state.
The KFPA ridiculed the one-day strike carried out by the North Karnataka Theaters Associations under the Hubli-Belgaum and North Karnataka districts calling it a flop. Still, a section of the industry sources insist that the strike was a success.
In another development at Bellary which gets it’s films from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh and not Bangalore, the deputy collector (DC) stopped screening of a new Telugu film in a theater, debunking the governments claims that it is not directly responsible in the matter. This interference by the DC has reportedly resulted in an indefinite closure of all its seven or eight theaters.
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.
