GECs
Sahara to start two Cinevistaas shows shortly
MUMBAI: While the Boney Kapoor produced Malini Iyer is yet to make its presence felt in the top rated shows on satellite TV, Sahara Manoranjan seems determined to flood its prime time with at least half a dozen new shows in the coming quarter.
Two of these shows are produced by Cinevistaas, which currently produces Sanjivani for Star Plus and Crime Patrol for Sony and has earlier produced Draupadi for Sahara. According to creative director Siddharth Malhotra, Cinevistaas will poduce a weekly comedy show titled Jaroorat Hai, Jaroorat Hai starrring veteran artiste Farida Jalal in the lead. JHJH belongs to an experimental ‘comic soap’ genre and tells the story of a mother and her five sons. The series will take up familiar situations in a typical Indian family but look at them humorously instead of taking the serious route. Sushmita Mukherjee, Sumit Raghavan and Gaurav Khera are also part of the cast.
Another show, a daily titled Saathiya – Pyaar Ka Naya Ehsaas, will also also debut on the channel around the same time. This serial will have Amarr Upadhyay, Sanjit Bedi and Shraddha Nigam in its cast. To be directed by Kaushik Ghatak (who handles Sanjivani), Saathiya… is a love triangle and traces the life of the three protagonists whose choices in life define their destinies.
Both serials are expected to launch by April or May.
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.
