GECs
Star gets into the act with Channel Nine Gold library
Channel Nine Gold’s loss has been Star’s gain. Star Plus, which started airing two soaps from the library acquired from the now defunct company, will commence airing Sanjay Khan’s Jannat , from 8 December at 7 pm.
Jannat is part of the Nine library bought by Star after Channel Nine Gold fell out with pubcaster Doordarshan and stopped operations in September this year. Kabhie Souten Kabhie Saheli and Kundali, the two other serials from the Nine stables, have started telecast on Star Plus from November and are reportedly doing well. indiantelevision.com had reported earlier this month that Star had paid only 20 per cent of the actual valuation of the library. The library is valued at around Rs 120 million.
Most of Channel Nine Gold’s soaps were doing well on DD Metro before they were stopped abruptly. Star stands to gain from the telecast of these serials which already had a loyal following among DD Metro’s audiences.
Jannat, a daily soap that goes on air from next Saturday, had a 37 episode run on DD Metro, follows the trials and travails of a Muslim family. The couple’s desire to have a child is thwarted by the wife’s inability to bear one. Predictable tussles follow after the man agrees to his wife’s request to get married once again.
Kabhie Souten Kabhie Saheli which airs Monday to Friday at 3:30 pm, deals with two friends who are close despite their differing backgrounds. As the story progresses, both get married to the same man. Once the cat gets out of the bag, the two women scheme a revenge plot to get even. Kundali, another program from the Nine library, deals with a strikingly similar theme. The serial explores different events which shape the direction of our lives. Two sisters, married into the same household, suffer at the hands of a wrathful mother-in-law. The family quibbles come to the screen every Thursday at 8 pm.
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.
