GECs
Star Plus aims for a TRP of 7 for ‘Millie’
MUMBAI: The promos have been hitting viewers hard with a frequency that has probably been seen rarely before. You guessed right: we are talking about Millie the new Star Plus series which is scheduled to debut in the 9 pm band on 4 April. It is being tomtommed as a series with a difference and it looks different from the rest of the saas-bahu weepy women fare on the leading GEC, if one goes by the promos.
A young orphan girl walks into a household that’s having rifts galore as a domestic. She shakes it up and how, bringing in sunshine – a la Rajesh Khanna in Bawarchi – leaving her mark on every member!
With a storyline like that, there is every possibility that it will appeal to all age groups in the Indian TV viewing household.
Proffers Star Plus creative director Shailja Kejriwal : “We are not trying to get new audiences. We are just trying to retain them. This is not a niche show at all. This is the first time, I can confidently say that we have made a show that will appeal to 6 – 60 years. Millie does not have a basic target group and is family viewing in the real sense of the term. “
Who is Millie really?
You don’t feel sorry for her but you want to protect her!
She makes you laugh and you want to cuddle her!
She is a maid but you want to make her your daughter!
The above multiple dimensions in Millie’s personality, she avers, will make the show that revolves around her an appealing one to watch during prime time.
“I think what will really strike a connect with the viewers is Millie’s spirit,” proffers Kejriwal. “Millie is a girl who has a zest for life with buckets full of enthusiasm. She is the most spirited lead character on television. “
It is probably for the first time that television is making servants very integral to the plot of a series. So, one will see a different strata of society, delve into their concerns, humour and their way of life.
“Apart from having the family values, and various facets of the family, you have the servant class and the convent orphans. In that sense, there is a whole cross section of society that exist within this show,” points out Kejriwal.
Millie is a format show adapted from an Argentinean telenovella Wild Angel. It is produced by Vinita Nanda and Moses, the same team that brought in the Rahul Bose-Koel Purie starrer White Noise.
The channel’s management expect an average TRP of 7 in the Hindi speaking markets.
Kejriwal is confident that Millie is going to emerge as the 9 pm girl, though she is replacing four very well-known faces on television Dr Juhi (Gurdeep Kohli), Pammi (Sangeeta Ghosh), Flight Lieutant Monica (Sai Deodar) and Karishma (Pallavi Kulkarni). “I have great hopes for Mona Vasu (Millie). This is the biggest launch ever for her. On television, the launch that an actor gets beats even the biggest film being released. The exposure that television stars get today is unprecedented. So, she is definitely the next 9 pm girl.”
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.
