GECs
Zee Melt’s second edition scheduled for 11-12 March
MUMBAI: Zee Melt 2016, a festival that brings together advertising, digital, marketing, emerging technologies, the media & PR industry, will be held on 11 and 12 March in New Delhi.
The two day festival by Kyoorius is in partnership with Zee Entertainment, Hindustan Times, GroupM, and D&AD.
The festival will host a range of conferences, seminars, exhibitions, showcases, workshops and networking sessions for delegates from advertising, digital, media and PR, marketing and emerging technologies by industry experts. Attendees include: Forsman and Bodenfors, Sweden art director Ted Mellström, Heineken Amsterdam director global Mark van Iterson, Fjord Net, London founder and chief client officer Mark Curtis, Financial Times, London chief data officer Tom Betts, Conde Nast, Mumbai digital director Gaurav Mishra and Stimulant, San Francisco CEO Darren David.
The content for Melt 2016 is divided across four key pillars namely: Learning, Showcase and Gallery, Networking and Celebration. Each of these pillars are driven by content partners and participating brands and will give delegates an opportunity to gain real insights into the creative communication industry from the industry specialists.
Zee Entertainment Enterprises MD and CEO Punit Goenka said, “As we pursue our vision 2020 of being ranked amongst the leading global media companies, there has been a conscious effort invested in creating and partnering brand IPs. Zee Melt will enable stakeholders from media, marketing and communications to meet at a common platform and exchange experiences, knowledge and insights. This is the second edition of Melt and I firmly believe that it grow and be accepted as a premier Industry event in the years to come.”
HT Media chief marketing officer Rajan Bhalla added, “HT is delighted to associate with Melt, which brings together doyens from the world of branding, advertising & media, creating an excellent opportunity to interact and engage with them through intellectually stimulating sessions. I am especially excited about ‘HT Osmosis’ at Melt, which will provide creativity new wings.”
GroupM South Asia CEO CVL Srinivas said, “We are delighted to continue our association with Melt. It is a platform where leaders from technology, content, data and digital interact with young talent to help shape the future of our industry. Like last year, GroupM agencies and specialist units will help curate content for the event in addition to holding workshops.”
Kyoorius CEO and founder Rajesh Kejriwal added, “We are delighted to announce the second edition of Zee Melt. This two day gathering of the best speakers and presenters from the industry with the addition of experience zones and workshops is definitely going to set us apart. It is heartening that our founder partners, Zee, Hindustan Times and GroupM, have increased their involvement, bringing more compelling content for delegates to enrich themselves.”
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.
