GECs
Surya TV banishes ‘Comedy Time’ as TRPs dip
MUMBAI: For all those who have been wondering where regional channel Surya TV’s primetime comedy programme Comedy Time has vanished, take note: it has been yanked off and is replaced with a comedy soap titled Ettu sundarikalum njanum (Eight beauties and me), which was having a good run in its previous slot as a weekend show.
Though the channel has been maintaining that Comedy Time has been taken off just for a change despite doing well, figures fail to back that theory.
“It is not that Comedy Time went down in the popularity charts. But everybody needs a change at times. The show had been going on for more than four years and now we have decided to replace it with something fresh, for a change,” a Surya TV spokesperson told indiantelevision.com.
Still, the figures tell a different tale. The average television rating (TVR) of the show for the last four weeks, according to TAM (CS 4+ Kerala 1 million+ towns) stood at 0.83 per cent, while a rival show Comedy Show on Asianet recorded a superior 5.01 per cent during the same period.
Surya TV had been constantly changing the schedule of Comedy Time of late. Both Comedy Time and Asianet’s Comedy Show were sharing the 10:00 pm slot until the former was shifted to the 10:30 pm slot. After some time, Iit was shifted to the 9:30 pm slot (approximately two months ago) before being taken off the air now.
The TAM figures of Comedy Time quoted above are of the 9:30 pm slot and it is evident that the programme couldn’t do justice to the popular slot.
Talking to Indiantelevision.com, Comedy Time’s star anchor Koottikkal Jayachandran said the decision was a collective one. When pointed out that a formal announcement regarding this was not made, he agreed that the audiences should have been informed about it.
He also expressed his ignorance about the ‘decision’ to telecast the final episode on 19 June.
Jayachandran, who won an award for best television anchor this year, has been taking up acting assignments in Malayalam films. His latest film, Freedom, is due for release this August.
Speaking about his future plans, he said he is currently ideating a show that will be co-produced by him. He revealed that he was in talks with some channels and would take some time to get it on air.
“Our aim is to come up with a different show altogether. So, naturally it is going to take some time,” said Jayachandran.
Jayachandran was hopeful that he would be able to return to his viewers, who have made him what he is now, at the earliest.
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.
