GECs
Zee Entertainment acquires TOIFA 2016 global telecast rights, except India
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Group has bagged the exclusive telecast partners across the world, excluding India of The Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA) 2016.
The partnership is aimed at promoting TOIFA’s grandeur, to reach out to viewers across the globe, which will include some of these regions like Middle East, Pakistan, Asia Pacific, America, Africa and Europe.
TOIFA 2016 Dubai presented by Gulf Air and Splash will be held on 17 & 18 March at the Dubai International Stadium and also will see performances by Shah Rukh Khan, Varun Dhawan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, YoYo Honey Singh and others.
Zee Entertainment Middle East CEO Mukund Cairae says, “It’s a privilege to associate with TOIFA as an exclusive broadcast partner, as Zee is also the global leader in providing entertaining content for global viewers at present. This partnership goes beyond the Middle East region, as we have acquired International telecast rights. With Zee’s global reach and viewership, we are sure to entertain the audience with Indian and Bollywood content.”
TOIFA is going to be promoted across India, Bahrain, KSA, Qatar, Oman and UK. TOIFA has already partnered with Thomas Cook in India and Dadabhai Travels in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as its Travel Partners.
Zee Entertainment Middle East chief content & creative officer Manoj Mathew added, “At Zee, our simple mantra is to continuously entertain and bring new content to our viewers. We continue to do this with our association with TOIFA and this year the awards have special significance since it is hosted in Dubai.”
He further added, “The event offers great entertainment with performances by some of the biggest Bollywood icons; we are thrilled to partner with the event, which will further delight our viewers not only on-ground but also broadcasting it on Zee Cinema and Zee Aflam for the region.”
For the South Asians audience in Middle East TOIFA will be showcased exclusively on Zee Cinema and for the Arabic audience it will be showcased on Zee’s Arabic Bollywood channel Zee Aflam.
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.
