GECs
Chacha Chaudhary arrives on Sahara TV next week
Indigenous comic strip character Chacha Chaudhary will come to life on Sahara TV from 13 May.
Produced by Ketan Mehta’s Maya Entertainment, the simple, earthy Chacha with the twitchy nose and keen brain will pit his skills against evil villains with native ingenuity and common sense in the serial. Versatile actor Raghuveer Yadav plays the simple detective in this unusual show. Pravin Kumar plays his friend and supporter Saboo, a 20 feet tall alien who can fly his way through difficulties and helps Chacha out of physical fights. The odd yet endearing couple, Saboo and their red convertible who live a simple life are expected to provide a new dimension to Sahara’s evening programming. The serial will air Mondays to Wednesdays at seven pm.
Invented as a children’s fiction adventure cum thriller created in a comic format by the famous cartoonist Pran in 1960, Chacha Chaudhary and its characters have attained a legendary platform in the country. The series attempts to bring to the small screen, this famous character and make it available to the much larger TV viewing audiences, says the production house. Graphic technology and innovative special effects have been employed by Maya Entertainment to bring Chacha’s antics to life. The serial is scripted by Ravi Pandey and directed by Mohit Jha.
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.
