GECs
ETV and ETV2 switched to pay mode
MUMBAI: Eenadu Television (ETV) has taken two of its Telugu channels – ETV and ETV2 – pay with effect from 1 February.
The combined price of the channels is Rs 10. While ETV is a general entertainment channel, ETV2 is a news channel.
“We have priced the two channels at Rs 10. We will decide on our other channels at the appropriate time,” said a senior ETV executive.
ETV, which has a host of 11 satellite language channels, has only taken its Telugu channels pay. The other language channels are ETV Telugu, Bangla, Marathi, Kannada, Urdu, Madhya Pradesh, Oriya, Gujarati, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh.
The two pay channels, however, are free-to-air (FTA) in Chennai which is a conditional access system (CAS) market. “We haven’t decided yet whether we should stay FTA there. We are waiting for our local team’s report,” said the executive.
A few other pay channels have taken the strategic decision to stay FTA only for the Chennai market. Adithya and Teja News, both Telugu channels from the Sun Network stable, are not pay channels in Chennai. Pogo, the Hindi kids channel from the Cartoon Network stable, is also a FTA channel in Chennai.
ETV is using Homecast decoder boxes. The company’s internal distribution team will handle the two pay channels including its placement on cable TV networks.
GECs
Vikram and Ajinkya Gandhe win Masterchef India season finale
Chef Sanjeev Kapoor joins judges for emotional MasterChef finale
MUMBAI: The latest season of MasterChef India concluded on a high note, with brothers Vikram Gandhe and Ajinkya Gandhe crowned winners in the grand finale aired on Sony Entertainment Television.
The duo from Nagpur lifted the coveted trophy and donned the show’s signature golden apron after a season that celebrated India’s diverse culinary traditions under the theme “Pride of India”.
This edition of the popular cooking reality show introduced a new jodi format, with 50 pairs from across the country competing in the Masterchef kitchen. Contestants brought personal stories, regional flavours and family bonds to the competition.
The grand finale featured the final three pairs: Vikram and Ajinkya Gandhe (brothers), Saisree and Chanda (mother and daughter), and Anju and Manju (sisters).
The finale was attended by celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor, who joined the show’s judging panel comprising Vikas Khanna, Ranveer Brar and Kunal Kapur.
Kapoor said the show has long served as a platform to celebrate India’s rich culinary heritage and provide passionate home cooks with a national stage. He noted that the current season reflected a confident India that takes pride in its roots while embracing new culinary ideas.
Judge Vikas Khanna said the contestants’ journeys and the memories created during the season would remain with the team long after the show’s conclusion. Ranveer Brar described the show as a family that continues to grow with every season, while Kunal Kapur praised the contestants’ creativity and determination.
With the finale now concluded, the latest season of MasterChef India once again highlighted how food can reflect identity, heritage and storytelling, inspiring home cooks across the country to pursue their culinary ambitions.
