GECs
Curtains down on Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘Aaj Ki Raat Hai Zindagi’ on 10 January
MUMBAI: Amitabh Bachchan completes yet another inning on television as his non-fiction show on Star Plus – Aaj Ki Raat Hai Zindagi comes to an end.
Being a finite series, the show had a life of 13 episodes and will air its last episode on 10 January.
A source close to the development informs Indiantelevision.com that Big B signed a Rs 1.5 crore deal with Star for hosting the show. What’s more, the ad rates for the show’s 10 second slot was Rs 2 lakh.
Additionally, the channel had roped in Maruti Suzuki as the presenting sponsor and Cadburys Dairy Milk as the powered by sponsor for the show.
However, despite have oodles of celebrity quotient on the show as well as having a unique feel-good factor, the show failed to generate good ratings for the channel.
“It didn’t do well in the terms of ratings. Despite bringing in so many celebrities on the show, it didn’t prove a profitable proposition for the channel,” said a senior media planner, on condition of anonymity.
Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia chairman & CEO South Ashish Bhasin opined, “It’s true that having a celebrity onboard a show does give it an edge. Therefore it is helpful in the initial few days to set up its fan base and audience. But in the long run that won’t sustain a show. Ultimately it’s the content of the show that will retain eyeballs. Advertisers understand this as well. They might want to take advantage of the initial popularity of the show for a celeb, but for continuous investment they will go for a show that is doing well long term.”
Star India COO Sanjay Gupta said, “Star India has always endeavoured to explore new and disruptive content – one that can fuel a billion imaginations. Aaj Ki Raat Hai Zindagi is one such show that, at its heart, captured the ethos of Star. Through this 13-episode finite series, our vision was to celebrate the extraordinary deeds done by ordinary people thereby inspiring people to believe that they too can make a difference and positivity can triumph. By celebrating the inherent goodness in people, we believe that people will be inspired by the feel-good and do-good spirit of the show long after the series reaches its culmination.”
On 10 January at 8 pm, the show’s finale will see the legendary Jai-Veeru moment from Sholay being recreated on the stage of Aaj Ki Raat Hai Zindagi along with a surprise performance by Farhan Akhtar for Bachchan.
Whether the channel brings back the show for a second season, remains to be seen.
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.
