GECs
WWE claims excellent response to European tour
MUMBAI: Over the past week for the first time in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) history, both Raw and SmackDown! superstars were on simultaneous overseas tours to perform in Europe.
In the UK, over 115,000 fans saw the shows, bought merchandise and met the stars at local retail markets In India WWE action airs on Ten Sports.
Stars performed in Germany, Finland, Italy and the UK. Each tour culminated with the flagship television programs Monday Night Raw and WWE SmackDown! being performed from Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester. This marked the first time that Raw and SmackDown! television programmes have emanated from outside the US and Canada, says an official release.
WWE’s executive VP, global media, Shane McMahon added, “Our fans in the UK and all across Europe are incredible, and are the reason this new dedicated UK initiative is off to a roaring start. Our UK brand initiative is groundbreaking for us, our business partners, and our fans. It is developing the model we plan to use in other countries as we further implement our global expansion strategy.”
In the UK wrestlers appeared on various UK news programmes, and in features in the UK’s largest newspaper The Sun. The tours provided an opportunity for WWE licensees THQ, Jakks, Clearvision, Simon and Schuster, Sony Music and Topps, and primary UK retail partners WHSmith and Woolworths, to promote WWE’s licensed and consumer products in the UK.
The WWE held a cross promotion with The Sun newspaper and Woolworths. This allowed fans to earn tokens for an exclusive WWE DVD that was redeemed by an estimated 180,000 participants.
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.
