GECs
Toonz partners with Impact Vision to produce ‘Geet Mahabharat’
MUMBAI: The animation studio, Toonz, has inked a deal with Mumbai-based production house Impact Vision to produce for the first time the grand Indian epic ‘Mahabharat’ in an animation format.
The animation product will have lyrics and music in Hindi, while the song sequences will be suitably strung together to create standard half-hour episodes for television, Toonz CEO P Jayakumar says.
Impact Vision CEO Satish Mutatkar and also the writer of highly appreciated lyrics for the animated feature film Hanuman is the originator of the concept and writer of Geet Mahabharat.
Mutatkar will be the creative director of the project. “This is a very interesting project for the studio,” says Jayakumar. “Creating an animated show that completely hinges around music is a challenge.”
“The venture is a novel one and is part of our initiative to encourage programming with strong Indian roots alongside original shows for American and European audiences,” he adds.
Commenting on the deal, Mutatkar says, “Mahabharat is simply the greatest story ever told. With modern Animation and Music we now have the right tools to take it to any audience. And ‘Hanuman’ has already demonstrated that there is a huge family audience for Animated mythological subjects presented in a contemporary and attractive manner. It is truly a privilege to team up with a world-class studio like Toonz for a project as exciting as ‘Geet Mahabharat”.
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.
