GECs
UTV in co-production deal with Bachchan’s AB Corp
MUMBAI: Amitabh Bachchan is charting out a revival plan for AB Corp. De-risking the business model, his company and Ronnie Screwvala’s UTV have entered into a co-production deal for films, television programmes and other ventures. This was announced by Bachchan, who is currently in Amsterdam for the IIFA Awards.
The two companies have signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) and will be working jointly on various ventures in the entertainment sector.
Addressing a press briefing in Amsterdam, Bachchan opined that the Indian film industry had changed over the years and that in this ever evolving industry, it was important for companies to enter into co-production deals for survival.
“Budgets are going to go up and no single entity is going to have the capacity to produce a film by itself. Let’s say you have a Rs 200 million film. If you co-produce it, you may run the risk of losing Rs 100 million but you get a product worth Rs 200 million,” Bachchan was quoted as saying in a media report.
He was of the opinion that the Indian film industry was waiting to be taken over by American companies and in a scenario like this, Bollywood needed to be corporatised for this “invasion of sorts.” He also admitted to the fact that probably he had been too “ambitious and arrogant” when he had started his own company ABCL. “But now we won’t repeat the mistakes that we made earlier. We just want to hold hands and move together,” he was quoted as saying.
Big B’s AB Corp is on the path of revival. The company will be gearing up to release three films this year — Viruddh , Family and Antarmahal. The company is also in the process of finalising its maiden overseas co-production deal with UK’s Inspired Movies.
At the time of filing this report, UTV officials were not available for comment.
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.
