GECs
UTV to showcase ‘Stuntmen of Bollywood’ on NGC
MUMBAI: NGC is pushing further with its localisation initiatives. Earlier this year it announced the latest Misson property Mission Udaan which is being done in conjunction with the Indian Air Force.
Now it will kickstart the series It Happens Only In India. This takes a look at occurences that are unique to this country. UTV has made the documentary Stuntmen Of Bollywood . This will air on 18 September at 9 pm as a part of the initiative. The one hour special took a year and a half to make and takes a look at the film stunt industry in India. UTV VP television content Monisha Singh says, “The stuntmen are the heroes behind the heroes. We thought that it would be good if we made a show that examined what their lives were like.”
What the show reveals is that the safety factor is often ignored. While the big film stars get preferential treatment there is much less concern for the well being of a stunt person. The UTV crew did research by speaking to 800 stunt people.
The film focusses on Habib Haji whose journey as a motorcar stuntman is a story marked by heroism in the face of tragedy. His father was killed in a stunt accident. The show has several gripping moments including one where a motorcycle driver has to drive in between two carriages of a fast moving train.
Another special that will air in the It Happens Only In India band on NGC in the coming weeks is Spunky Monkey. India has close to a billion people – a huge population that spills out of cities, towns and villages. There is always a clamoring need for more land on which to build houses or grow food, and forests shrink rapidly in the face of this pressure.
While this may spell doom for most of India’s wildlife, one species of monkey has come out of the forest and learned to survive as an urban animal. NGC follows the antics of the bonnet macaque, a monkey with a flamboyant hair style that has the ingenuity to exploit the Indian reverence toward them.
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.
