GECs
Lily Patel replaces late Dina Pathak in ‘Khichdi’
MUMBAI: Lily Patel the veteran Gujarati stage actress, popular as Dadima of Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii has replaced Dina Pathak as Badima in Khichdi.
Dina Pathak, who passed away recently was playing the role of Badima, the great grandmother in the sitcom. Lily Patel will take over the role from episode 12 which will be telecast on 26 November.
“It was difficult to find a replacement for Dinaji. Since the comedy revolves around a Gujarati joint family, we needed a Gujarati actress in place of Dinaji. And we decided on Lily Patel who is an accomplished Gujarati theatre actress who has the ability to balance emotions and humour perfectly,” co-producer of Khichdi, Jamnadas Majethia says.
Khichdi is neither a complete sitcom nor a total soap but a blend of both in right proportion. As the title suggests, the serial is a concoction of characters and their emotions, idiosyncrasies, likes and dislikes, relationships and dreams, all done to imperfect perfection in a melting pot, which happens to be their home, states the release .
“It is being appreciated a lot because it is different in terms of characterization, situations and humour and moreover, it is believable,” says Jamnadas. Written and directed by Aatish Kapadia, a well known writer-director of several hit Gujarati plays, serials and films.
A UTV and Hats Off Production, the sitcom stars Lily Patel, Anang Desai, Supriya Pathak, Raju Mehta, Vandana Pathak and Amit Verma among others. It is telecast on Star Plus every Tuesday at 8 pm.
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.
