GECs
Star Plus & Endemol Shine India celebrate Republic Day on Masterchef India
MUMBAI: To celebrate the diverse flavours of India along with its huge, rich and valuable heritage on ‘Republic Day’, Star Plus and Endemol Shine India came up with an impressive concept of challenging the contestants to put up a 15-feet long majestic thali with exactly 100 dishes. The 15th episode of the season which will be aired on 26th January at 9.30 pm will witness this interesting challenge called the ‘Grand Thali’. The contestants will be seen cooking dishes from all around the nation, bringing out the best cuisines, ingredients and spices from different cultures of India.
These 100 delectable cuisines of the different states of our republic will be brought alive for the brave Indian women police officers to thank them and honour them for their commitment towards the nation. The contestants on the episode will be divided into two teams and will prepare 50 dishes each. The one-of-a-kind, enormous 15-feet thali will be judged by the exemplary judges Vikas Khanna, Ranveer Brar, and Vineet Bhatia.
“We wanted to do something scrumptiously different and out-of-the-box for the republic day special episode. So we thought of presenting an amazing collection of dishes in a traditional Indian thali, showcasing the diversity of cuisine and culture of our nation, to the women of the Indian police force, who work hard for the safety of our nation. We hope the viewers enjoy this interesting episode that will try to give them a taste of India”, Said Endemol Shine India CEO Abhishek Rege.
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.
