GECs
MTV ‘Unplugged’ season 3: A raw and acoustic musical experience
MUMBAI: MTV is all set to take their fans on a new musical high. Come November, the channel will premiere the season 3 of its popular music series Unplugged, which promises to be exclusive, intimate and personal through a live gig format experience to audience.
Standing true to its theme of ‘Mega Artists, Mega Hits’ the last season of Unplugged brought prodigious possibilities like Rahman for the first time on world television; Sunidhi Chauhan’s performance which was another stellar one backed up the sentiment; the ever-charismatic Lucky Ali also made his comeback on the show.
Boasting of an impressive line-up of artists, fans are in for a treat as each episode will feature one renowned artist who is all set to regale the audience with his vocals – Bollywood director, actor and singer Farhan Akhtar with Farhan LIVE, Bollywood singing superstars Sonu Niigaam, Mika and KK, Indie rockstars Pentagram and The Raghu Dixit Project and the next gen superstars Arijit Singh and Benny Dayal; all in all, a great mix.
With the who’s who on the 3rd season of Unplugged, the list is sure to get the music buffs jumping with joy… but the excitement doesn’t end here.
So what’s happening on the promotions front? To engage the fans in this musical revelry, MTV is having fans picked up in an official Unplugged gig bus from prime locations across the city to give them a front row view of some of the biggest music acts. All that fans need to do is put on their dancing shoes and hop on the bus to catch their favourite artists live in concert and the passes will be free.
Speaking about going back to the roots, MTV India, EVP and business head Aditya Swamy, exults: “MTV Unplugged is a property that both artists and music lovers look forward to. Across three seasons, we have featured legends across every genre and their unplugged compositions have become instant hits. This year we have integrated real music fans into the show and this energy will really lift the experience for viewers and performers. Brand new versions of your favourite hits are coming at you.”
There are activities planned on the digital front as well; in the third season of Unplugged, giving fans a special treat; MTV will run a contest across its social media platforms to give 10 lucky fans a chance of being part of the MTV Unplugged experience. Each fan participating in this experience will get a wrist band which will not only serve as a memory of the experience but also as an entry badge. The band will also have a QR Code on it that leads to a personalised profile of all his activities at MTV Unplugged.
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.
