GECs
Star announces new rates, bouquet costs Rs 30
MUMBAI: The Star Network on Tuesday announced its new subscription package of RS 30 per month.
A company release said the hike worked out to an increase of RS 6 per subscriber.
Justifying the release, Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea said: “We would like to hold on to our subscription rates, but because of the underdeclaration of subscribers by the trade we had no option but to increase the prices. We get paid for only a small fraction of the homes that receive cable and satellite channels.”
Yash Khanna, head corporate communications, said that only one sixth of actual connectivity was being declared.
When queried as to what sort of response he expected from the hike he said Star was bracing for a possible blackout in Calcutta where RPG had 75 per cent C&S penetration while rival Zee Telefilm’s Siti Cable had the remaining 25 per cent. As to what would be the response from other centres, he said they would have to wait and see.
Earlier, when informed of the impending hike, Shamim Shaikh of Mumbai-based independent MSO Seven Star Satellite Network had said there was no question of their accepting the new package. “None of the operators will accept these new rates and except for Hathway (where Star has a 26 per cent stake) it will probably lead to a situation that Star will switch off our feeds,” Shaikh said.
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.
