GECs
End of the road for Sony’s ‘JCPK’?
Sony Entertainment Television has finally decided to pull the plug on its high profile gameshow Jeeto Chappar Phaad Ke, industry sources indicate. The last of the series, episode number 90, was canned recently, and the show will be going off air by end-September, the sources say.
Rekha Nigam, senior vice-president – programming and production, SET, however denies that JCPK, hosted by filmstar Govinda, is coming to an end any time soon. “We have some great episodes lined up and there is no question of the show going off air just yet,” Nigam stresses, adding that, as with all programming on the channel, there is a continuous review process going on. Nigam said the shows were being recorded keeping in mind Govinda’s busy schedule. “We have enough episodes in the can to see us through for the near term,” Nigam adds.
Speculation that JCPK‘s days are numbered has been doing the rounds for a while now and has increased since it went from a thrice a week airing to a twice-a-week show from 2 June. It now airs on Fridays and Sundays with the Saturday slot being given over to movies.
As to the possible reasons for JCPK‘s imminent demise there are many. Falling TRPs is an obvious one. Add the cost factor – an estimated average cost of Rs 4 million per episode – and the returns in terms of ad revenues are just not there. While the same could be said to some extent about Star India’s Amitabh Bachchan-hosted gameshow Kaun Banega Crorepati vis-?-vis TRPs (4.6 as per market research agency ORG Marg’s Intam data for the week ending 1 July), the difference is in the profile KBC enjoys. KBC has helped lift all the shows which have been worked around it but JCPK was never anywhere close to becoming Sony’s channel driver.
So what next from the SET stable? All indications are that another possibly even bigger blockbuster show is on the anvil. When and what form it takes is the question.
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.
