GECs
Tech Maven Kinnari Dave gets business head role at Shemaroo
MUMBAI: Tech and product evangelist Kinnari Dave has bagged the business head role at Shemaroo Entertainment after a steady three-year climb through the ranks.
The digital diva, who previously served as deputy vice president of product and innovation, has been handed the keys to the kingdom just as the entertainment giant battles fierce headwinds in the streaming wars.
Dave’s elevation comes after nearly six years with the legacy entertainment powerhouse, where she’s been busy transforming dusty catalogues into digital gold.
Before joining Shemaroo’s executive ranks, Dave spent over four years as product head at Hungama, another entertainment platform that was once the darling of the pre-Netflix era. Her digital pedigree stretches back to 2013 when she was part of the startup team at Indus OS, India’s homegrown mobile operating system that dared to challenge Google’s Android dominance.
The tech veteran’s career has taken her through the trenches of mobile gaming at Mobile2win and even a stint flogging digital cameras for Olympus—back when people still bought dedicated devices to take holiday snaps.
Dave’s promotion signals Shemaroo’s doubling down on digital transformation as traditional entertainment companies scramble to remain relevant in an increasingly crowded streaming marketplace. With skills spanning from AWS architecture to the nebulous realms of Web3 and generative AI, Dave represents Shemaroo’s bet on a tech-first future.
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.
