GECs
Zee to ‘keep pushing’ Zee Cinema for Singapore
MUMBAI: Zee Network, which launched a dedicated beam of Zee TV for Singapore on 1 June, is now concentrating on getting Zee Cinema launched in the market.
“We will keep pushing zee Cinema and as and when it is possible we will put the channel on,” Zee Network president international business Abhijit Saxena told Indiantelevision.com.
Explaining the issues the network faces to get distributed in the Singapore market Saxena elaborates: “Singapore is a very controlled market. There, introducing any new channel becomes very difficult because the cable service provider’s capacity is limited at the moment. Also, there are certain restrictions in providing the number of Indian channels to the limited Indian audiences there. Hence, at the moment, it is only Zee TV.”
Zee has been engaged in negotiations with its Singapore’s local cable service provider StarHub to carry more Zee family channels in the country. Reportedly, Zee is also waiting for StarHub to launch its digital service so that the service provider will have the capacity to accommodate more channels. At the moment, Zee TV has 25,000 paid subscribers in Singapore at the rate of Singapore $8.
Zee Network has Zee TV and Zee Cinema presently available in the US while in the UK Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Zee Music and Alpha Punjabi are available. The Middle East markets have Zee channels Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Zee News, Zee Music and Alpha Gujarati. In Africa Zee TV is available.
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.
