GECs
Zee Entertainment launches its first lifestyle channel, Zee Zest
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprise Ltd (Zeel) launched its first lifestyle channel – Zee Zest, where one can unlimit life through its varied and comprehensive line-up of shows. The channel which has started from will present content that will be a perfect encapsulation of food, travel, lifestyle, home improvement, wellness, culture, and DIY to enable one to unlimit life straight from the confines of your armchair.
Zee Zest will bring unique offerings to the audiences as they meet our desi stars like chef Ajay Chopra, Rakesh Raghunathan, and our very own celebrity chefs – Pankaj Bhadouria, and Kunal Kapur through some highly engaging original shows like 100 per cent south Indian, India’s 50 Best Dishes, Ghar Sa Yummy – Swaad Familywala, Food Veda, and Meetha toh Banta Hai. Through these shows, the audience sets on a journey to shortlist India’s 50 best dishes with the host Ajay Chopra, witness stories of home cooks and what is cooked in a million Indian homes with chef Pankaj, and discover 100% South Indian dishes with the host Rakesh Raghunathan. Determine the importance and methods of adapting the age-old tradition of ayurveda into our modern-day lifestyle with host Kunal Kapur, while host Akanksha Khatri will take you all on an exciting journey to discover the emotion behind ‘Meetha toh Banta Hai’.
The channel will also bring some highly popular global shows for the first time in India, like Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown season five, Jaime: Keep Cooking & Carry On, Far Flung with Gary Mehigan, MasterChef Australia – season 9, MasterChef USA Junior season five, and much more across various genres. Late Anthony Bourdain, the famous American celebrity chef, author, journalist, and travel documentarian, traveled across the globe to uncover little-known areas of the world and celebrated diverse cultures through his show. Jamie Oliver shows some incredible recipes, tips and hacks, specifically tailored for the unique times we're living in, through Jamie: Keep Cooking & Carry On. The portfolio of international shows on this channel will be newfound in India. While the international shows will give a perspective for global offerings, the original shows are a self-reflection of the audience’s aspirations and interests.
Zee Zest business head Amit Nair says, “Zee Zest is the promise of a new tomorrow with taking charge of life and experiencing newer journeys and amazing stories. Our carefully curated international shows and India originals will be an escape from the regular, a path to your aspirations, a catalyst to unlimit the horizon of your experiences. The diverse content across sub-genres with a homegrown appeal will entertain, lead to discovery, and will liven up every moment of the viewer with the intent to unlimit life itself. We hope to inspire our audiences to take up their own journeys of joy, creativity and breaking boundaries by adding Zest to their lives”
Zeel north, west and premium channels cluster head Amit Shah says, “Zee has always created strong curated brands that cater to the diverse entertainment needs of the consumer. We have been market leaders with our offerings, the pioneers in setting trends when it comes to content creation. Zee Zest’s unique proposition of offering an enhanced experience with a TV & digital presence ensures we engage with our viewers across all relevant touchpoints and are also able to provide more value to the advertisers with platform agnostic solutions. Zee Zest will capture the consumers’ mind space by offering the best of lifestyle content with shows that not only entertain but educate and add value to our viewers’ lives.”
Zee Zest will be a 360-degree platform and will reach the audience via TV, internet, events, and social media. While TV will bring interesting content, the social media platform will provide as a means to make it happen. Stay tuned as the web platform and events will become the two-way communication channel between the audience and the brand. With various recipes, itineraries for road trips, DIY hacks, articles on interesting cultural and historical facts will bring the audience a step close to the life they have always hoped to explore. To sum it up, unlimit life by joining Zee Zest to imagine and experience some of the never seen before, heard before ideas and stories as the channel offers shows revolving around travel, food, culture, home decor, health, relationships and more along with some exclusive global content featuring for the first time in India.
Zee Zest will be available across all major cable, DTH, and digital platforms starting from 1 October 2020. The channel will also be available on Zeel’s digital and mobile entertainment platform, Zee5.
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.
