GECs
Now a health channel from Shakti Bhog Foods
MUMBAI: Shakti Bhog Foods Ltd, makers of the popular Shakti brand of wheat flour, is venturing into the satellite television business.
Promoted by Kewal Krishan Kumar, the company is launching a 24-hour holistic health and lifestyle channel. The plan is to launch Shakti Channel within three weeks.
Shakti channel COO Himanshu Malik confirmed the development, adding that the channel’s test signals would commence from Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna. K Prakash Verma will head the channel’s programming.
Dedicated to health-based programming, the free-to-air (FTA) channel will beam via Thaicom 3. The channel will be distributed by Fifth Avenue Media Services.
The channel will provide details based on up-to-date health, diet and fitness information. The channel will also air programmes such as Yog Rakha Nirog (information on how one can refrain from sickness), Health Zone, Ab Dardh Nahi (relief from pain), Aerobics, Don’t worry be Healthy, Sex-Clinic, to name a few, offers Malik.
The channel will also feature the famous bhakti singer Narinder Chanchal who was one of the playback singers, along with eternal nightingale Lata Mangeshkar, for Raj Kapoor’s movie Bobby.
Malik adds that with more channels of this nature in the space, the market would only grow. Already available in this genre is 7 Star Care. He said, “We would concentrate in the Hindi belt first and then move on to the Western market to strengthen the distribution of the channel. Later, we will move to the Southern market.”
Shakti channel has already initiated publicity campaigns through hoardings across North India. It will also use various other mediums of advertising such as newspapers and magazines.
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.
