GECs
Karuna Samtani appointed COO SaharaOne Television
MUMBAI: Karuna Samtani has been appointed as the chief operating officer of SaharaOne Television, the television wing of SaharaOne. Sahara India has brought together its motion pictures, radio, television and special identity concerns under the single entity SaharaOne.
Samtani was earlier associated with Nimbus Communication Ltd., Pratham Media entertainment Pvt. Ltd., Star TV, Zee Telefilms Ltd. and advertising agencies including Contract, Hindustan Thompson, Enterprise Nexus and Ambience Advertising.
She had successfully launched and managed Zee TV, El TV and Siticable, says an official release. She has been the woman behind a range of shows like Antakshari, Tara, Banegi Apni Baat, Campus, Philips Top 10, Zee Horror Show, Hasratein, Hum Paanch, Sailaab, Amanat, TVS SaReGaMa, and Purush Shetra among others, the release adds.
Samtani has been quoted in the release as saying, “The challenge in TV always has been to make programmes that talk with the audience and that audience can relate to. At SaharaOne, we strive to create content that is entertaining, interesting and touches a chord in the viewer’s heart. There’s a new set of expectation arising from Indian audiences and we want to fulfill their expectations.”
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.
