GECs
ZEE LIVE announces expansion of leadership team
MUMBAI: Strengthening its core senior team, ZEE LIVE, the Live events and IP vertical of ZEEL, has announced the appointment of Unnati Ashar as product head of its Live IP business.
Unnati has more than 10 years’ experience in experiential marketing and a demonstrated track record of working in the events and activation services industry as well as a rich background in IP content. She is skilled in integrated marketing, below-the-line, event management, brand management and strategy.
Unnati will be responsible for leading the existing IPs – Arth, LF 91, Zee Educare and Supermoon – as well as scaling them up. She will also be responsible for overseeing innovation and improving the business’ products, such that the enterprise is constantly growing to meet consumer needs.
Unnati, who will report into Swaroop Banerjee, will actively work towards developing the branded content division of ZEE LIVE. This includes collaboration with brands across sectors, identifying opportunities that lead to the growth of the brand through innovation and creating relevant IPs for them.
Swaroop Banerjee, COO, ZEE LIVE, said: “We have now, in a very quick time frame established 4 genres in the Live IP space, I am incredibly bullish about the trajectory in this direction. We’ve had huge success with our existing IPs Arth, LF 91, Zee Educare & Supermoon reaching out to over 205 Million people and reinstating our core offering of creating Live Original Content on the ground that is complemented by our network assets. Unnati will bring a wealth of knowledge and a fresh outlook that will help reinforce our commitment to conceptualising the best IPs. We are also looking at developing our branded content division under her leadership.”
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.
