GECs
Wheel of Fortune spins into India with Akshay Kumar at the helm
MUMBAI: Spin a wheel, crack a word, chase a crore. That, in essence, is the promise as Wheel of Fortune India makes its much-anticipated Indian debut on Sony Entertainment Television, bringing with it a heady mix of vocabulary, velocity and very high stakes.
Hosted by Akshay Kumar, the show adapts the globally celebrated format for Indian sensibilities, blending English, Hindi and Hinglish puzzles into a fast-paced contest spread across four tightly designed rounds. The result is a game show that is as much about quick thinking as it is about timing, nerve and a bit of luck.
Each episode pits three contestants against one another in a battle of words and wheels. The action opens with the Triple Toss-Up, where speed is everything. Letters flash on the board in random order, and contestants race to buzz in with the correct solution. Solve all three puzzles, and the reward doubles, setting the tone for a game where momentum matters.
The Puzzle Round introduces strategy. Contestants can spin the wheel, buy vowels for Rs 20,000 each, or solve the puzzle outright. The wheel itself is a mix of temptation and threat, with generous cash wedges sitting alongside hazards such as ‘Lose a Turn’ and the dreaded ‘Nagji’, capable of wiping out round earnings in a single spin. With prizes climbing all the way up to Rs 1 crore, every choice carries weight.
Things move up a gear in the Double Dhamaaka round, where speed and recall are pushed to the limit. After a quick qualifier, the leading contestant takes on a prize puzzle, armed with a handful of standard consonants and a vowel before making a rapid-fire attempt to crack the code within 15 seconds. Precision here can unlock big-ticket rewards beyond cash.
The pressure peaks in the Bonus Round, reserved for the day’s top scorer. One final spin reveals envelopes carrying prizes ranging from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh or a brand-new car. With just seconds on the clock and multilingual categories in play, the final puzzle becomes a sharp test of composure under fire.
Adding to the drama is the Final Spin, where time pressure flips the game into sudden-death mode, giving each correct consonant a fixed value and forcing contestants to think and answer on the clock.
Globally recognised as one of television’s most enduring game shows, Wheel of Fortune arrives in India with its legacy intact but its tone distinctly local. For viewers, it offers the simple pleasure of playing along at home guessing words, shouting answers, and feeling every near miss.
The show airs Monday to Friday at 9 PM on Sony Entertainment Television, with streaming available on Sony Liv. One wheel, countless words, and the promise that fortune, this time, speaks in many languages.
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.
