GECs
Dr. Subhash Chandra shares his views on M&E industry
MUMBAI: The Essel Group and Zee chairman Dr Subhash Chandra shared his views about the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry by giving a keynote at the Kotak Institutional Equities’ (KIE) Chasing Growth 2015 Forum.
Held on 9 February at Hotel Trident BCK, Mumbai, an hour-long session was a part of the ‘Millennium: Makers of India’ event, where he spoke on the topic – ‘Entertaining India’.
Addressing the audience, which comprised institutional investors from India and abroad, Chandra first spoke about the innovation-led swiftly evolving M&E industry. Citing examples of leading players like Google and Apple, he explained how tech companies are now moving towards entertainment.
He then detailed the journey of Zee from 1992 when it was illegal to run a private TV channel to its current position as a leading player in the M&E industry.
Chandra stated that media has played a crucial role in transforming India to Version 2.0. The growth till 2013 was 2.0 but now it has accelerated to 3.0 and is poised to grow even further.
He said, “We are confident that Bollywood is capable of entertaining Western minds. Through its recent launches like Zee Bioskop in Indonesia, Zee Nung in Thailand and Zee World in Africa, Zee is taking Bollywood to global audiences.”
Other notable speakers on Day one of the event included HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh, Hindustan Unilever CEO and MD Sanjiv Mehta and Bharat Forge chairman and MD Baba Kalyani.
KIE’s Chasing Growth 2015 Forum is being held in Mumbai from 9-11 February, 2015. ‘Millennium: Makers of India’ is a part of this event and focuses exclusively on those Indians who have put India on the global map through economic and social empowerment.
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.
