GECs
TV meets digital; Sab TV ties up with Twitter
MUMBAI: Gone are the days when the social media platform Twitter was just for a casual chit chat, it is now an important tool for mainstream media. Breaking the stereotype trend, Sab TV staying true to its brand belief of ‘Differentiation through Innovation’, brings to its audience yet another unique concept- Khidki. The channel in partnership with television producer JD Majethia and Bollywood director Umesh Shukla has called in for entries i.e. stories from the common man through Twitter – #TweetAFunnyStory.
The brief is that entries should encompass unique yet funny stories that one has experienced in life, something that holds a special place in one’s memories and brings out the laughs. The shortlisted stories will then be presented to the world in the form of an episodic series on the channel.
Sab TV will give an opportunity to millions of families to tell their funny stories to the world. The viewers can submit their entries on Twitter or email them to humarifunnykahani@setindia.com. The most interesting and entertaining story will be told on-screen and the family will also get a chance to be a part of the series as the story heads towards the climax.
Until now, the channel has received around 4,000 stories. The show Khidki will be a half-hour weekday show. Though the channel has not finalized the date as yet, it is planning to launch the show post IPL.
Speaking with Indiantelevision.com, Sab TV senior EVP and business head Anooj Kapoor said, “The show will be based on real life stories. So we are asking them to send their stories and incidents to us which we shall develop into an episode. At the end of that particular episode, the person who sent that incident will get a chance to appear on the show and get to talk little more about it. This will be not only give a chance to the viewer to get the sense of complete engagement, it will also make the story extremely relative to the audiences.”
Kapoor further added, “We have to attract such stories from various platforms and therefore the partnership with Twitter became a very obvious choice because it is very easy for twitterti to tweet the story and same could be evaluated by us.”
The channel is following a robust marketing strategy for Khidki. Sab TV is going all out to aggressively promote the show and invite stories through innovative marketing.
Using a unique concept, the channel is conducting marketing activation programs in the Rajdhani Express and the Shatabdi Express and some long distance trains to engage with family commuters and invite stories. Further, window-structured ‘Khidki’ outdoor innovations have been installed to generate a buzz around the initiative. These are in addition to the traditional media mix which includes television, print, radio and outdoor. “Besides our partnership with Twitter for #TweetAFunnyStory, we are collaborating with multiple digital platforms to generate stories,” revealed Kapoor.
Twitter is complementary to the full experience of viewing a TV channel today, with each tweet being an opportunity for channels to strengthen relationships with their audiences. Twitter India continues to build strategic partnerships with broadcasters helping them amplify their message, drive more viewers and generate more user engagement with their content on the platform
On the partnership between the channel and Twitter India, Twitter India TV partnership head Viral Jani said, “We are coming together and inviting stories from the platform to give consumers a platform. We amplify their effort on our platform and with this initiative we want to tell to the world that it is a great example how you can use Twitter to reach out to your consumer. There is no deal per se, but it’s a partnership which can be mutually beneficial and also beneficial for our consumers. Sab TV is not only engaging with our users, but also giving them an opportunity to be a part of a TV show. It is just a first step in the long term relationship with Sab TV. We will be in partnership with Sab TV for more events that it is planning to launch in few months, this is just a beginning.”
With television being one of the largest conversation generators on the platform, Twitter aims to become the second screen to TV in India engaging audiences in real-time with the best of television content. “Twitter has always been a second screen app for TV viewers, globally and as well as in India. People watch shows on television and tweet about those shows on Twitter. They love to engage with the shows, channels and celebrities who are the part of the television series. They are interested in behind the scenes, pictures, videos, and they love to do interactions, be it for a reality television show or a new show. Twitter is like a unique platform where all of them can interact with each other. Considering this, there was a hunger from the users and the TV partners, and we believe that it’s a great thing for us and for them,” concluded Jani.
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.
