GECs
Lavneesh Gupta appointed as RBNL’s COO for its TV biz
MUMBAI: It seems Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd (RBNL) wants to really take its television business a notch higher. The company today announced a key appointment at the top level. Lavneesh Gupta has been brought on board as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for RBNL’s television business. As part of his new portfolio, Gupta will be responsible for building on consumer insights to create robust content and marketing strategies and drive channel performance. He will report to Tarun Katial, CEO of Reliance Broadcast Network.
Gupta is an alumnus of IIT and over the last 16 years has worked across leading brands in the BFSI industry including Standard Chartered Bank, ABN AMRO and Tata AIG to Max Life and IndusInd Bank. He is excited about his new innings in the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry. He believes that the industry will grow at a good pace in terms of its Compound Annual Growth Rate during the next few years and there will be ample opportunities for learning and growth.
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Prior to joining RBNL, Gupta was working with IndusInd Bank as executive vice president & head, Bancassurance and New Branch Distribution. He was responsible for the life and general insurance revenues across 500 branch outlets and the overall P&L of 150 new branches, which were launched during the last financial year.
On his appointment at RBNL, Gupta said, “RBNL is among India’s most vibrantly growing organisations and I am excited about my new role here. The company has an exceptional potential for growth and I look forward to working with the team at RBNL to make this vision a reality.”
RBNL CEO Katial too is very happy to have got somebody with such a good experience. He said, “Lavneesh’s vast experience and in-depth market understanding makes him an asset to the organisation. We are happy to have him on board and are confident of him leading the television business through the next growth phase.”
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.
