GECs
Zee TV HD to premiere ‘The Lunchbox’ on 8 February
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) with five high definition (HD) channels in its bouquet, namely Zee TV HD, &Pics HD, Zee Cinema HD, Zee Studio HD and Ten Sports HD, last week announced its new brand identity-Zee HD League.
The new offering is a complete bouquet with the best of Hollywood and Bollywood blockbusters, cutting-edge entertainment and best-in-class sporting action. And now, as part of the #HDFirst initiative, Zee TV HD will showcase the world television premiere of the critically acclaimed and award-winning movie The Lunchbox at 12 noon on Sunday, 8 February.
The Lunchbox, starring Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, is an epistolary romantic film written and directed by Ritesh Batra, and produced by Guneet Monga, Anurag Kashyap and Arun Rangachari. The film captures what happens when a mistaken delivery in Mumbai’s famously efficient lunchbox delivery system connects a young, lonely, disillusioned housewife to an older man in the dusk of his life as they build a fantasy world together through notes in a lunchbox.
The film was released in India on 20 September 2013 and holds the unique distinction of being an all-round box-office success along with being widely acclaimed by critics. The film was screened at International Critics’ Week at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, and later won the Critics Week Viewers Choice Award also known as Grand Rail d’Or. It was shown at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. The Lunchbox was nominated for the Film Not in the English Language category of the British Academy Film Awards 2015.
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.
