GECs
Star makes a Josh ful exhortation to viewers
MUMBAI: Sony’s Sambhav Asambhav’s launch episode may have suffered due to the Hinduja group MSO IncableNet switching off the Sony bouquet in several parts of Mumbai, but Star is obviously not taking chances.
Star Plus’ summer attraction Josh premieres tonight at 9.30 pm with a two hour special launch episode and the channel’s promo campaign is making sure viewers know what they will miss if they don’t plague their cable op for the channel by this evening. A bold line under the ads placed strategically in Mumbai’s leading dailies exhorts viewers to ‘demand to see Star Plus from the cable ops belonging to IncableNet’. ‘You pay the cable operators, they do not pay us’, the ad clearly hits out at the MSO.
Star is clearly using the Josh launch opportunity to hit out at Incable and stress the fact that it is non payment of dues that has caused the disruption of transmission. Whether viewers are equally fired by curiosity for Josh and moved by Star’s reasoning of course remains to be seen.
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.
