GECs
Zee Media announces first edition of OTT awards for 2021
Mumbai: Zee Media Corp Ltd (ZMCL) has announced the launch of its OTT awards for the year 2021. The awards will be simulcast over 30 TV and digital platforms.
The award ceremony will be attended by the crème-de-la-crème of the entertainment industry, with an astute jury in various fields of entertainment along with the Zee Media management, said the media company in a statement.
“With the change in viewing habits and the increased consumption of content, we feel the Zee Media OTT awards will do justice to the content creators, actors, the teams behind building successful shows, to continue doing the same and bring out quality content for the viewers,” said ZMCL marketing head Anindya Khare. “The changing landscape around content asks for newer ways to showcase and gratify the efforts put into making the complete OTT ecosystem a success.”
The channel said that the categories will not be restricted to film and web series only and the focus will also be on alternative digital media content. Apart from the awards and on-stage entertainment, there will be panel discussions that will be livestreamed on digital platforms, allowing the viewers to ask questions to the panellists, making the whole viewing experience more immersive, it added.
“OTT is the next big thing for years to come as the entertainment industry witnesses a paradigm shift in the way content is consumed by the audience,” said Zee Media chief revenue officer Gaurav Verma. “To lead the way and become the pioneers in the award space, it gives us immense pleasure to bring these awards to the consumers, to gauge their level of interest and take the next steps from there. We are creating a new platform to showcase the best talent from the world of OTT.”
India is currently the world’s fastest-growing OTT market and is all set to emerge as the world’s sixth-largest by 2024. There are currently about 40 providers of OTT media services in India, which distribute streaming media over the internet. Between March and November 2019, around 30 million internet users came online for the first time from rural areas, showing a steep growth in the consumer base for the OTT platforms, said the statement.
“It is important that we notice and act on the changing consumption trends of the viewers, consumers and advertisers in order to be present in all relevant spaces at the given time,” said Zee Media chief revenue officer Manoj Jagyasi. “New initiatives are always more lucrative for advertisers as they arrest the attention of the viewers. Zee Media OTT award, similarly, is a new and exciting proposition for our viewers which will be well accepted by them due to our unbiased approach to the awards.”
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.
