Awards
Academy Awards get better ratings for ABC
MUMBAI: There is some positive news for Disney’s beleagured broadcast network ABC. Its broadcast of the 76 Academy Awards on 29 February did much better than last yEar’s telecast.
US media reports indicate that 43.5 million viewers watched the final installment in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy The Return Of The King make a clean sweep. This was an increase of 32 per cent over last year’s ratings. In India the show aired live on Star Movies on 1 March early in the morning.
ABC research chief Larry Hyams was quoted in a Newsday report saying that he was satisfied with the performance. However the figures were well below the 55.2 million figure which happened when Titanic like LOTR won 11 Oscars in 1998.
It must be said that while the host Billy Crystal was funny as usual there was nothing else too memorable that night. This writer felt that most of the acceptance speeches were sleep inducing and the thudding monotony of New Zealand being thanked due to LOTR did not help matters much. On a more positive note all the actors deserved their trophies. Sean Penn who won for Mystic River could have done with a bit of advance preparation as far as his speech was concerned.
A report in AP added that ABC and its cable affiliates heavily marketed the show with promotional spots and series that mentioned the awards. Characters on soap operas talked up the delights of the Oscars. The series I’m With Her had a running story line in which actress Teri Polo’s character is up for an Academy Award.
Across the border too the news was good. A CP report stated that in Canada, BBM preliminary overnight ratings show that 5.7 million Canadians watched the awards. This is not surprising considering that its film The Barbarian Invasions won in the foreign language category. However as with the US the figure was well short of what the 1998 broadcast had received. Nielsen had reported that 6.6 million Canadians tuned in to watch James Cameron being crowned king of the world.
Awards
Fan Fare as Zee Cine Awards Hands Power to Viewers
Voting opens as 24th edition gears up for grand Mumbai spectacle.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… you decide. The red carpet is being rolled out, but this time, the spotlight swings firmly towards the people in the seats.
The Zee Cine Awards, long regarded as one of Bollywood’s most celebrated honours, return for their 24th edition with a promise to be bigger, louder and far more fan driven. Maruti Suzuki presents the 24th Zee Cine Awards 2026, set to unfold on 28 February and 1 March at the NSCI Dome in Worli, Mumbai.
Over the years, the awards have evolved from a glittering ceremony into a full blown cultural moment, blending star power with scale and audience connection. This year, that connection takes centre stage under the theme ‘Yeh Pal Hai Fans Ka’, positioning audiences not just as spectators, but as decision makers.
Viewers’ Choice voting went live on 11 February 2026, handing fans the power to crown their favourites across multiple categories. From Best Film to Song of the Year, every vote now shapes the outcome.
In the Viewer’s Choice Best Film category, the nominees include Dhurandhar, Chhaava, Saiyaara, Sitaare Zameen Par, Jolly LLB 3 and Jaat.
For Viewer’s Choice Best Actor Male, the race features Ranveer Singh for Dhurandhar, Vicky Kaushal for Chhaava, Akshay Kumar for Kesari Chapter 2, Sunny Deol for Jaat, Akshay Kumar again for Jolly LLB 3 and Dhanush for Tere Ishk Mein.
In the Viewer’s Choice Best Actor Female category, Kriti Sanon for Tere Ishk Mein, Yami Gautam for Haq, Kangana Ranaut for Emergency, Tripti Dimri for Dhadak 2, Aneet Padda for Saiyaara and Sonam Bajwa for Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat are in contention.
Hell Energy Drink Viewer’s Choice Song of the Year includes the Saiyaara Title Song from Saiyaara, Laal Pari from Housefull 5, the Dhurandhar Title Track, Uyi Amma from Azaad, Deewaniyat from Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat and Aavan Jaavan from War 2.
Voting is open across platforms including the ZEE5 app, the official website or on WhatsApp by sending ‘Hi’ to 7700978488, and through comments on official social media posts across Instagram, Facebook and X.
With Maruti Suzuki as presenter and partners including Hell Energy Drink, Rajdhani Dal, L’Oréal Paris Glycolic Gloss, Cadbury Dairy Milk and Balaji Wafers, the event promises high wattage performances and headline grabbing moments. Tickets are available on District by Zomato, while the televised spectacle will air later on Zee TV, Zee Cinema and ZEE5.
As Bollywood’s biggest night approaches, the message is clear. This is no longer just an awards show. It is a reminder that behind every blockbuster, viral song and star turn stands a crowd that cheered first. And this year, that crowd gets the final word.
