GECs
Star India producer: Incredible to know about art and evolution of storytelling
MUMBAI: “It was insightful to know about the conscious and subconscious mind, and it was incredible to know about the art and evolution of storytelling,” said Star India senior producer Avni Bhatija. She was among a gathering of creative heads at Qench Studioz at Lower Parel, Mumbai, recently.
On 23 March, creativity abounded at Qench with a gathering of several notables of the advertising fraternity. It was a first-of-its-kind initiative to bring people from this industry together in one room, to create an idea sharing a collaborative learning platform – a platform where one can showcase one’s work and meet people from the industry, not for business, but to share creativity and knowledge in a convivial atmosphere.
Ogilvy ECD South Asia Sumanto Chattopadhyay, a firm believer in collaborative learning, was the star speaker and his thought on the psychology of the brain that mostly thinks in stories was an eye opener for many. This initiative is the brainchild of Avadhut Hembade, an award-winning photographer, a 25 year veteran of the industry and the CMD of Qench Studioz.
Avadhut believes that in the daily routine and grind of our jobs, we lose out on sharing ideas and discovering the treasure-trove of hidden personal talent in the advertising fraternity. He has now created a space for these creative souls, to share not only their talent in advertising but also as artists, writers, poets, photographers, actors, dancers or musicians. The intention is to share work, learn from others, inspire and be inspired to produce brilliant pieces of creativity.
Chattopadhyay is a gem in the advertising industry and an inspiration to many. He is accustomed to wearing several hats and is an actor, writer and photographer. He also holds the prestigious title of ECD at Ogilvy & Mather, the renowned ad agency. A firm believer in collaborative learning, his main thrust was on the psychology of the brain. He stated, “The brain cannot not think of a story,” sums it all up. In his talk, he goes on to explain with examples, how the advertising industry too could make use of this fact in its creative output.
The first event received an overwhelming response and was attended by several top leaders of various media agencies as well as the eminent Sandeep Kulkarni, of Shwaas and Dombivili Fast fame. One of the attendees, Sushant Gaikwad of Paarami Digital, said, “Such initiatives will help drive the creativity of the industry to higher levels and everybody using the learnings of Sumanto will surely contribute great work to the industry.”
Other participants included Star India associate VP Santosh Patil, Leo Burnett ECD Sachin Kamble, DDB Mudra ECD Ashish Phatak, and Lowe Lintas creative director Purwa Sali.
Abhijit Karandikar, Kunal Sawant, Rajeshwari Rao, Sushil Chintak, Durga Bangade and Minal Phatak, senior creative directors of Ogilvy & Mather, applauded the initiative.
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.
