GECs
Tourism Australia tells Balaji ‘Ye Hai Mohabbatein’
MUMBAI: Tourism Australia and South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) have collaborated with India’s leading production house, Balaji Telefilms, to inspire Indian travel enthusiasts to book their next holiday Down Under. Balaji Telefilms’ top rated television show ‘Ye Hai Mohabbatein’, which airs at 7.30 pm and 11 pm, Monday to Sunday , on India’s top Hindi General Entertainment Channel (GEC), Star Plus, recently shot 10 episodes in South Australia.
Shot at iconic locations in Adelaide and surrounds, the story track based in Australia is definitely set to grip the viewers’ attention with interesting twists. India’s leading online travel company, MakeMyTrip, has further strengthened this initiative by tying up with Tourism Australia and SATC as the preferred travel partner for the project. As part of this partnership, a special travel package to Australia for the viewers of Ye Hai Mohabbatein is being advertised during the show and on MakeMyTrip’s web and social media platforms.
Ye Hai Mohabbatein features popular Indian television actors Divyanka Tripathi, Karan Patel and Anita Hassanandani. The lead actors along with Ruhanika Dhawan who portrays the character of Pihu, Aditi Bhatia who plays Ruhi and Siddharth Makkar, who is introduced in the latest track as Vidyut, had flown down to Australia for the shoot. Viewers can see iconic locations such as the Rundle Street Mall, vineyards of Barossa Valley, scenic Kangaroo Island and the iconic cricket stadium Adelaide Oval on the show.
Tourism Australia has a decade long association with Balaji Telefilms, with popular shows such as Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki and Bade Ache Lagte Hai being shot in Australia for a series of special episodes.
“We are pleased to have collaborated with Balaji Telefilms and Star Plus to showcase Australia on Ye Hai Mohabbatein. India is a rapidly growing market for Australia. It is currently the ninth largest source market for the destination and is well positioned to achieve goals set out in the India 2020 strategy. To sustain the momentum of increasing visitor arrivals from India, impactful distribution and media partnerships such as this not only showcases the destination, but also provides attractive tactical deals to potential travellers,” said Tourism Australia Country Manager – India & Gulf Nishant Kashikar.
“We are extremely thrilled to be collaborating with ‘Ye Hai Mohabbatein’. The popularity of the show and its beloved stars make for an ideal platform to reach out to our target audience. We are excited about broadcasting the many sights and attractions of South Australia to millions of Indian viewers. This is a huge step forward in increasing the number of Indian tourists to Adelaide and the surrounding cities,” said South Australian Tourism Commission regional director southeast Asia & India Dana Urmonas.
South Australia was recently awarded the fifth best region in the world by Lonely Planet – the only Australian destination to be included in the prestigious ‘Best in Travel’ list. With a vibrant capital city, crowd-free beaches, up close wildlife encounters and world-class food and drinks, visitors get the complete Australian experience within one State.
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.
