GECs
Mukerjea, Sarkar meet top BJP leaders; discuss Star News
NEW DELHI: Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea and the owner-publisher of the Anand Bazar Patrika (ABP) group Aveek Sarkar paid a courtesy call to senior government officials in Delhi today.
The Kolkata-based Sarkar is set to pick up 74 per cent equity stake (estimated at Rs 750 million) in Media Content and Communication Services (MCCS) that oversees the functioning of Star News in India, including the uplinking of content from Indian soil.
Mukerjea, Sarkar and some senior executives from Star and the ABP group visited the deputy prime minister LK Advani as well as senior information and broadcasting ministry officials.
After several deliberations and closed-door confabulations, Star India has managed to bring the ABP group aboard MCCS – the holding company for Star News. The meetings with BJP leaders today looks like a part of Star’s endeavour to lay to rest a controversial case and allegations that Star News is being held by dummy companies and shareholders with no real powers. ABP will pick up 74 per cent of the equity, with Star holding the remaining 26 per cent – in line with the governments new rules for TV news companies.
It has been reported that Sarkar had informally briefed the senior members of his team about his intention to pick up the stake in MCCS.
Previous investors in a controversial dummy company with Rs 40 million equity, including Seth, TV personality Maya Alagh, former Bollywood actor Jeetendra and DSP Merrill Lynch’s Hemendra Kothari, will presumably be bought out. Sarkar was slated to meet Hindustan Times editor and MCCS investor Vir Sanghvi over dinner yesterday – incidentally, Sarkar was described by Sanghvi as “an old friend.”
It is, however, not known whether Star, directly or indirectly, would have some business interest in ABP or a subsidiary that may be interested in bringing out an edition of Telegraph from Mumbai, the stronghold of Times of India.
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.
