GECs
‘Ek Mahal Ho Sapano Ka’ crosses 900-episode mark
Ek Mahal Ho Sapano Ka, the precursor to the tide of saas-bahu sagas that swept Indian television in the last two years, has just crossed the 900 episode milestone on Sony.
A product from the Shobhna Desai Productions stable, the original nightly soap that follows the happinesses and tragedies of a Gujarati joint family, Ek Mahal… claims to be the longest running soap on Indian satellite television. It still has some way to go though if it wants to catch up with the Marathi series Damini which completed 1,000 episodes on DD Sahyadri on 16 May.
Produced by Shobhna Desai, directed by Vipul Shah and scripted by Aatish Kapadia, Ek Mahal… is a bilingual serial, the Gujarati version – Sapana Na Vavetar – ran on DD Gujarati.
Ek Mahal… started its run on Sony in 1998, according to an official release. The serial, claims the release, commands a wide Indian audience in the UK and USA and has been a launch pad for more than 200 Gujarati theatre artists thus far.
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.
