GECs
SparkTv aims for first mover advantage in interactive television
Broadband may still be a while away but Gaurang Shah CEO, SparkTv, wants to position his company as one of the leading content providers to the media industry when it does happen.
“Interactive Television is one of the next big things coming and with the advent of broadband technology there would be a mad rush of channels trying to exploit this medium,” says Shah. “Since we were among the first people to explore this area, we need not fear competition. A year or two from now others might acquire the technology but we still would be ahead since we have the technology as well as the knowhow,” he says.
And Shah is confident the first mover advantage will keep Spark ahead of the competition. Shah’s plans for SparkTv include interactive content production, repurposing existing video, interactive video authoring, virtual anchors, virtual stage and live and delayed webcasting. With a fully equipped studio, Spark presently provides facilities right from copy writing and design services to full animation and video creation, he says.
Shah said he had pumped in Rs 10 million into developing the idea. Since the set-up required for content creation was already in place, there was no additional investment in new equipment, he pointed out.
SparkTv was looking at producing 30 hours of programmes in a month, developing original content as well as re-purposing the content the channel already has to make it interactive. Shah said he expected a turnover of RS 500 million annually once broadband becomes a reality in India.
And when would this happen? Shah said he saw it interactive TV becoming a viable proposition within the next two years. Shah claimed deals had already been struck with three major players but he couldn’t reveal their names because of non-disclosure clause in place.
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.
