GECs
Zee-Sony fight on the cards with Zee TV slotting ‘Kam Ya Zyaada’ for 8:30 pm
MUMBAI: Zee TV is locking horns with Sony Entertainment Television (SET) in the gameshow space. The channel will telecast its big-ticket gameshow Kam ya Zyaada Monday to Friday in the 8:30 pm slot, and the schedule directly clashes with Sony’s upcoming biggies Indian Idol and Deal Ya No Deal.
“Kam Ya Zyaada will be a half-hour show running Monday through Friday. The show will occupy the 8:30 pm slot,” Zee Network vice president Ashish Kaul told Indiantelevision.com. As already reported, the gameshow is targeting an early December launch.
“Yes, we have slotted it for 8:30 pm. But the plans may change also at a latter stage,” comes the guarded response from Zee Network programming head Kartik Chintamani.
Both Indian Idol and Deal Ya No Deal are one hour shows. Indian Idol will run Monday-Tuesday from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm while the R Madhavan-anchored Deal… will occupy the same time slot for Wednesday-Thursday-Friday.
The accommodation of Kam Ya Zyaada in its daily primetime line up might force Zee TV to attempt a slight reshuffle of its primetime schedule. The channel currently airs the Shobha De-written soap Sarrkkar in the 8:30 pm slot. But the channel dismisses any plan to discontinue the soap. “As of now, we haven’t taken any such decision,” Kaul says.
On the other hand, Zee TV’s Monday thriller Time Bomb will complete its stipulated 25-week schedule this month. Unconfirmed reports have suggested that Zee has granted an extension to the weekly show.
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.
