GECs
SonyLIV acquires streaming rights to Puneeth Rajkumar’s ‘James’
Mumbai: SonyLIV has acquired rights to late actor Puneeth Rajkumar’s last film “James” which will begin streaming 14 April onwards. Apart from Kannada, the film will be streaming in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi.
The film will fortify SonyLIV’s regional library with the addition of Kannada language content.
Puneeth Rajkumar was a prolific Kannada actor who enjoyed a pan-India appeal and was known for his films “Power” and “Yuvarathnaa”.
Helmed and written by Chethan Kumar and produced by Kishore Pathikonda, James pairs Puneeth opposite Priya Anand. The film also stars Srikanth, Nawab Shah, Sarath Kumar, Tarak Ponnappa, John Kokken, Chikkanna, Shine Shetty, and Tilak, among others, with Puneeth’s brothers Shivarajkumar and Raghavendra Rajkumar appearing in cameos. Shivarajkumar also did the dubbing for his brother as he died before the commencement of the movie’s post-production.
“It is an honour to be associated with James, which not only has gripping performances but is also a testament to the outstanding and multifaceted journey of Puneeth Rajkumar on celluloid,” said Sony Pictures Networks India head of content SonyLIV and SET Ashish Golwalkar.
“He was a true genius, and we are proud to be able to bring his last feature film to his fans everywhere and help them connect with their beloved superstar. It will also boost our regional library, adding to our aim of bringing quality content that resonates with people from all parts of the country,” he added.
“Directing Puneeth is a dream that only the fortunate can turn into a reality,” said director Chethan Kumar. “I consider myself extremely privileged to have gotten this opportunity. I had envisioned the film with Puneeth in mind, and it was an absolute honour to have him play James. By bringing the movie on SonyLIV, the platform is paying fitting tribute to the legendary personality that he was,” he added.
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.
