GECs
Hollywood stunt organisations seek Academy Award consideration
MUMBAI: Is it time for the most prestigious movie awards ceremony, The Academy Awards, to recognise stuntmen? Four of Hollywood’s premier stunt organisations certainly believe so.
With a week to go for the 77th edition of the Oscar Awards four stunt organisations have launched a unified effort to lobby The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Ampas) for recognition and acceptance of the category of Best Stunt Coordinator. In India the Oscars will air live on Star Movies on 28 February at 6:30 am.
Representatives from Stunts Unlimited, Brand X, The Stuntmen’s Association of Motion Pictures and The International Stunt Association have teamed to petition the Academy for recognition of their craft as both an art and a science and worthy of the creation of a new award category. There is an awards ceremony the World Stunt Awards which recognises their work.
In a joint statement they say, “Stunt performers are the only faction of the movie industry that must literally risk their lives for the sake of their art. The talent and expertise that is required of a stunt coordinator to be both creative and safe is enormous and highly deserving of Academy recognition.”
Movie mavericks like directors Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese who could win his first Oscar for The Aviator, Jerry Bruckheimer, Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Michael Douglas and Arnold Schwarzenegger have all signed the petition. The stunt organisations make a valid point when they state that no one who has contributed a lot to the motion picture industry whether it is make up or costume design has failed to be recognised by the Academy.
On the television front an Emmy is awarded for Outstanding Stunt Coordination. The stunt organisations have further stated that action films that rely heavily on their work are amongst the highest earners at the box office.
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.
