GECs
New programming, production head for Raj TV
MUMBAI: Raj TV has roped in Tamil television programming veteran V Chandrasekhar to give it a new look. The Tamil general entertainment channel brought Chandrasekhar as executive vice president programming and production, a newly-created post.
Chandrasekhar is the former director, operations, of the K Balachander-headed production house Min Bimbangal.
Chandrasekhar says his effort will be to shape the content differently at Raj TV. “The shift in strategy is based on a market study we had conducted. The aim is to target niche Tamil markets. We will be launching more daily soaps in the May-June period,” he says.
Programming strategies will be revamped, says Chandrasekhar, as the channel will be experimenting with new time bands. The channel is reserving its evening prime time band – 7 PM to 10:30 PM – exclusively for soaps. To start with, Raj TV is launching a soap titled Mundani Mudichu in the first week of May for the 9 PM slot, replacing a film-based show.
“The new strategy is not about bringing in different programmes. It is about doing programmes differently. We want to bring a change in the area of production values, turnaround time, timeliness of the content and the kind of people it reaches out to,” he says.
During his 14-year stint with Min Bimbangal, Chandrasekhar has worked behind various successful projects. He was responsible for one of the Sun TV channel drivers Kayyalavu Manasu, almost 12 serials for Raj TV and then the Vijay TV reality show Kadhayalla Nijam.
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.
