GECs
Star hires programming head for Channel [V], Star Movies & Star World
Keertan Adyanthaya – ex-Mindshare Fulcrum – has joined Star India. He will be in charge of programming at Channel [V], Star Movies and Star World.
At Channel [V], Adyanthaya replaces Devika Sharma, who was vice-president, and he fills empty slots at the other two channels.
Industry sources say Sharma has no immediate plans and will be taking it easy for a while before making her next move. Adyanthaya was earlier an account director at Mindshare Fulcrum – handling among other things, the premium fabric wash brands of Hindustan Lever.
Star India COO Sameer Nair confirmed that Adyanthaya would be joining the network and said he would officially start work on 3 June.
The moves seem to be part of the organisational restructuring that Nair had said he would be instituting over the coming months whan he was elevated to COO at Star India on 10 April.
An immediate change that Nair had put in place then was to place Tarun Katial, V-P, programming Star Plus, Star Movies and Star World, solely in charge of Star Plus.
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.
