GECs
‘Water’ sets stage for fourth Jagran Film Festival
MUMBAI: The movie Water marked the inauguration of the fourth Jagran Film Festival here in Mumbai. Produced by the Film and Television Department of the Tel Aviv University in association with Tu Vas Voir, the screening also marked the Asian premiere of the film.
The 120 minute feature, born out of an unique Israeli-Palestinian cinematic cooperation, is a compilation of some fictional and self-experience based stories. The other screenings for the day were Haco Cheko’s 72 minute Turkish film Nowhere Li Vir, Sanjay Jadhav’s 132 minute Marathi film Duniyadari and Kundan Shah’s 143 minute classic Jane Bhi Do Yaaron. The festival was attended by filmmakers, litterateurs, cinephiles and scribes.
This six-day long cinematic extravaganza was inaugurated in the presence of Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, Indian film and stage actress Nimrat Kaur, Anil Sharma, Sudhir Mishra, Dorothy Briere, Manoj Srivastava, Sai Tamhankar, the mayor of Mumbai Sunil Prabhu and many others from the entertainment industry. Also present were the directors of the film Yael Perlov, NirSa’ar and Maya Sarfaty, Mohammad Fuad, Yona Rozenkier, Mohammad Bakri, Ahmad Barghouti, Pini Tavger and Tal Haring.
The festival will feature the finest works of cinematic geniuses from India and many other countries. More than 50 national and international feature and short films will be showcased in the final edition of this festival.
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.
