GECs
ZEEL Cignals deal for Filipino channel Zee Sine
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited has signalled a deal with Cignal TV for Filipino channel Zee Sine.
Earlier this year, ZEEL had announced its foray into the Philippines with its Tagalog and Taglish language Bollywood movie channel Zee Sine in partnership with the local cable TV distributor Cable Boss. Since then, it has been expanding its reach. An agreement with the cable TV MSO Cable Link followed which gave it access to subscribers in parts of Manila.
Then, last week, it announced a carriage deal with local satellite platform and DTH operator Cignal TV.
Cignal, launched in 2009, transmits 102 channels including free-to-air, SD and HD channels to household and commercial venues nationwide. It also offers a mix of 12 audio channels and on-demand service through pay-per-view channels. It is owned by MediaQuest Holdings, the media partner of PLDT Group.
The entertainment major launched the Zee Sine on pay TV and DTH operator Cignal TV which boasts a subscriber base in excess of 1 million. After launching channels in Latin America, Germany, Indonesia, the US, Malaysia, Thailand (not necessarily in that order), it was now the turn of the south-east Asian nation to see another offering from the Punit Goenka-led company.
Available on Channel 19 with Cignal Postpaid plan 290 and up and Cignal Prepaid Premium 300 and up, Zee Sine is backed by ZEEL’s Bollywood movie library, the world’s largest with over 3500 titles.
The tag line of the channel is Bollywood Na Tayo! (Let’s Go Bollywood) and viewers have three Bollywood movies on offer daily with the 8pm movie band being themed as unli tawa Mondays (comedy), lab na lab on Tuesdays (romance), Bollywood divas on Wednesdays, Hari ng Aksyon Huwebes (action), star of the month on Fridays, blockbuster movies on Saturday and special monthly thematic films on Sundays.
Cignal VP/Head of Channels Management, Sienna Olaso, said that the partnership with ZEEL was a strong affirmation of Cignal’s commitment to provide the best Pay TV service to their loyal subscribers by providing them with world class shows and channels that catered to their diverse tastes in TV viewing.
Zee Entertainment CEO, Middle East and Asia Pacific, Mukund Cairae, said that Fillipinos had love in abundance for music and dance that Bollywood represents. Cairae added that he anticipated Fillipnos to connect with the Bollywood masala as the core values across Asia were similar. The strategy was to put Zee TV’s movies and shows on free to air channels while also running the 24×7 pay TV channel Zee Sine.
Cairae said the company was seeking to to do Filipino productions in phase II of the launch.
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.
