GECs
Zee readies reality show for budding entrepreneurs
NEW DELHI: You have to hand it to Subhash Chandra, he not only thinks big but also manages to create the sort of hype that should be whipped up at times. After cricket, Chandra’s next big show is a business/ entrepreneur reality show.
Idea Lao, Paise Le Jao! (bring an idea, return with the funding) is the core concept of Business Baazigar – The Next Big Entrepreneur reality show that would be launched by Zee Telefilms.
This is a 36-episode real life drama in which candidates from all walks of life, executives, students, housewives and even retired persons from cities as well as small towns and villages will face off against one another for the title of “India’s best entrepreneur” and an eventual funding of the big dream.
The show goes on air from January 2005 and is being produced by 25 FPS Media.
Imagine a platform that not only celebrates some of the nation’s best entrepreneurial ideas but also makes an attempt to rightly channel and manage them. The endeavor is to provide a launch-pad to the most deserving of India’s budding entrepreneurs where people with ideas would dare to bid for their dreams and ideas.
The process will start by a call for entries. A panel will then shortlist from expected thousands of preliminary entries down to a manageable number of around 100. These will then be further short-listed to 20, who will compete with each other in a reality show.
Winners get funded for whatever their business ideas are worth after an evaluation is completed. The process will be transparent and auditors of repute will supervise the entire shortlisting process.
Participants would be given tasks that will test their intelligence, strategic skills and ability to think on their feet when time and money both are at a premium. At the conclusion of each task, the winning team will be granted a reward in cash and kind.
A television show and an event, the programme hunts for some of the best business ideas in the country and the brains behind these. Tasks each week will incorporate various aspects of business: sales, marketing, promotions, charities, real estate deals, finance, advertising pitches and facilities management.
Not a bad idea from a person, Subhash Chandra, who actually is a rags to riches story, considering the Essel Group made its initial money from ‘chawal’ (exporting rice to the erstwhile USSR) and came into big time by starting the country’s first Hindi language satellite channel, Zee TV.
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.
