GECs
Big Ganga strengthens weekend programming; four shows planned in Jan
MUMBAI: Big Ganga has scheduled the launch four new shows — Litti-Chokha, Ganga Sankranti, Buddha and Biraha in January.
The channel is strengthening its mythological line-up with yet another offering Buddha, a historical devotional fiction in Bhojpuri for a greater regional connect. The half an hour show is scheduled to telecast from Monday to Friday starting 16 January.
Another show Biraha is a nonfiction offering based on the most popular traditional folk song form of the region – ‘Birha’ a combination of mini stories to engage audiences. With this format, the channel has taken up the responsibility of preserving its folk heritage. Featuring region’s most reputed and popular Birha singers locked in a tele-challenge to win the most coveted Birha Title, the show will be a crowd puller for sure. The show is scheduled to telecast from 8 – 9 pm on 21 Jan 21 and 22 Jan.
The channel recently launched two shows on 14 January. The travelogue comedy Litti-Chokha, through its episodes will cover cities of Bihar, Jharkhand and Purvanchal to explore its uniqueness including their cuisine, cultural heritage and the local talent. The half an hour show will be telecast every weekend at 4 pm.
The show aired on 92.7 Big FM’s Ranchi and Jamshedpur stations every Saturday and Sunday at 8 pm.
Adding further to its new shows lineup, the channel launched another weekend segment Ganga Sankranti keeping the festivities around Makarsankranti in mind. The two days activity aimed to capture the essence of Bhojpuri hip hop and folk music with superstar and local talent.
A spokesperson for Big Ganga said, “At Big Ganga, we have always strived to produce original content specially tailored towards fulfilling the needs and aspirations of our viewers. Our programming is a result of deep research and an in-depth understanding of the markets we are present in. Within the Hindi heartland, we are catering to the audience with diverse tastes and preferences. Hence by introducing four offerings at one go, we are catering to the deep pockets of the region with multiple genres of content.”
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.
