GECs
Zee’s ‘Antakshari’ completes 11 years
MUMBAI: The mother of all antakshari shows on television, Zee’s Antakshari has completed 11 years. Produced by Sa Re Ga Ma, Antakshari is the longest running musical game show on Indian television.
An event held in suburban Mumbai to celebrate the occasion was attended by anchor of the show Annu Kapoor, Sa Re Ga Ma creative director Gajendra Singh, Bollywood’s fun man Johny Lever and actors Akhilendra Mishra and Yashpal Sharma. The Antakshari team was honoured during the occasion. Kapoor anchored the show along with Archana Puran Singh.
Speaking on the occasion, Zee TV president Abhijit Saxena said, “For us, it’s a very proud moment. The scale to which this show has been accepted is phenomenal. I would like to take this platform to thank all the participants and the viewers for their invaluable support. We hope we are able to garner the same enthusiasm in the next decade.”
Gajendra Singh, who has been responsible for the show since it’s conception, said, “For me, I regard this show as my child. I am experiencing the same amount of happiness as one would when one’s own make it big. I want to better at our effort for the coming decade. We have changed with the times, for our audiences. The acceptance and the love that the show has achieved, is mindblowing.”
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.
