GECs
Stage set for another Star Parivaar Awards
Mumbai: All roads for Star India’s family of actors, producers, directors, writers, DoPs, and clients will be headed for the National Sports Club of India stadium in central Mumbai later this evening.
The reason: India’s leading TV network will be filming the latest edition of one of its strongest on-air events Star Parivaar Awards (SPA) 2014. The event – led by the experienced Star India events head Anil Jha – is being produced and creatively directed by the Morani brothers of Cineyug.
The telecast date for the SPA 2014: 29 June 2014 at 7.30 pm.
The Star India website has this to say about this year’s SPA. “It is is all about high level of excitement and entertainment. Taking our channel philosophy of ‘Rishta Wohi Soch Nayi’ forward, we will tread the unconventional path and embrace all forms of entertainment. What else would explain this better than our actors performing daredevil stunts and never-seen-before acts? Performing at such an incredible level requires professional assistance and training. “
According to sources close to Cineyug: “Translated this means that you will see stars doing things they are not known to do – like roller bladding or riding bikes or fighting with trishuls and doing stunts like never before. “
A stunt director from the Netherlands has been brought down who has been training with Star Plus’ well known faces. Among many others who will be at the NSCI this evening include: Sandhya (Deepika Singh), Pankhuri (Disha Parmar) Akshara (Hina Khan), Kumud (Jennifer Winget), Veera (Digangana Suryavanshi), Durga (Sanjeeda Sheikh), Draupadi ( Pooja Sharma), Gunjan (Farnaz Shetty), Astha (Shrenu Parikh), Ishita (Divyanka Tripat), Saras (Gautam Rode), Shourya Goenka (Vatsal Seth), Aditya (Nakuul Mehta), Baldev (Vishal Vashishth), Sooraj (Anas Rashid), Naitik (Karan Mehra), Akash (Rahul Sharma).
Amongst the categories that are to be announced at the ground event tonight include: Favourite Maa, Favourite Pita, Most Stylish Sadasya, Favourite Beta, Favourite Beti, Favourite Bhabhi, Favourite Patni, Favourite Pati, Favourite Bahu, Favourite Daadi/Naani, Favourite Daada/Naana, Favourite Dushman/Khalnayak, Favourite Yogya Bahu, Favourite Yogya Damad, Favourite Jodi, Favourite Yogya Jodi, Favourite International Jodi, Favourite Naya Sadasya, Sabse Khoobsurat Rishta .
The winners have been decided through online polling by Star India and also with the help of a stellar jury consisting of Indiantlevision.com, Tellychakkar.com and The Indian Telly Awards founder Anil Wanvari, senior journalist Bhawwna Somaaiya, ABP News executive editor Vibha Kaul and wellknown TV producer Nikhil Sinha.
The channel has also come up with a special new anthem for the SPA 2014 called “Do the Namaste” which has scenes from the Aapka Star Aapke Shehar road shows that were held in Ahmedbad and Delhi as a prelude to the SPA. These scenes show the Star Plus popular faces grooving and having a good time with common viewers on the streets.
GECs
Pocket FM partners with Indian Open Pickleball 2026
Audio platform joins forces with major tournament to engage young fans.
MUMBAI: Pocket FM just served up a perfect partnership because when audio storytelling meets pickleball’s fast-paced rallies, even the sidelines start listening. Pocket FM, the world’s largest audio series platform, has announced a strategic partnership with Indian Open 2026, one of India’s biggest pickleball tournaments organised by Global Sports in Hyderabad in association with Pickl’Out and Crosscourts Sports Club.
The collaboration brings Pocket FM’s immersive storytelling to one of the fastest-growing emerging sports in India. Pickleball, known for its accessibility, energy and strong community appeal, is rapidly attracting younger, digitally savvy audiences making it an ideal platform for Pocket FM to deepen its cultural relevance.
Under the partnership, Pocket FM will enjoy extensive on-ground and digital visibility throughout the tournament, which begins on 1 April 2026. This includes centre court branding, venue-wide presence, presenting rights for select matches, player lounge branding, team jersey integration, and strong integration across live streaming and social media.
Pocket FM, SVP and global head for brand marketing and partnerships Vineet Singh said, “Pickleball is building a strong connection with young and engaged audiences in India. This partnership allows us to connect with people in a meaningful way through strong on-ground presence and digital visibility.”
Global Sports and Indian Open 2026, founder Hemal Jain added, “Partnering with Pocket FM adds an exciting new dimension to the experience. As a brand that has built deep resonance with young audiences, Pocket FM is a strong fit for the energy and ambition of this tournament.”
The move reflects Pocket FM’s continued strategy of aligning with emerging passion points and building deeper engagement with communities driven by competition and shared experiences.
In a country where sports and stories often collide, Pocket FM isn’t just sponsoring a tournament, it’s turning every rally into a narrative, proving that the best audio moments sometimes happen when the paddle meets the ball.
