GECs
Zee’s ‘Aati Rahengi Baharein’ high on melodrama
The first episode of the new Zee soap, which airs Mondays to Fridays in the 8:30 pm slot, was high on melodrama. How the plot unfolds remains to be seen.
Zee‘s latest soap-Aati Rahengi Baharein is old wine in a new bottle. The story of a conservative Gujarati family in the textile business, the narrative begins with the family eagerly awaiting the return of their only son, Amar, who is coming back to India after a study stint abroad.
The plotline has the mandatory bad guy in the form of Amar‘s maternal uncle who has it in for the boy. Throw in a couple of childhood buddies on the other side of the economic divide and the story is all about the hero‘s dilemma – duty to family or keeping the faith with his friends.
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The first episode of Zee‘s newest offering was overly melodramatic with too many elements all squeezed in simultaneously. While the attempt on the part of the producers (It‘s a co-production between Cinevistaas and Kaarnik), seems to have been to strike the right balance between the Balaji brand of loud family drama and a fresh youthful feel, the absence of a storyline that would not give the audience a feeling of deja vu serves as a bit of a deterrent. |
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The strong point of the serial is the competent performances by all its central characters. Direction by Kaushik Ghatak is taut. The screenplay is passable, though (unless making the first episode overly melodramatic was a strategy) a bit over the top. |
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There is wide speculation on how the story will unfold in the succeeding episodes with strong rumours that the story will follow the film Anand track where the protagonist discovers that he is suffering from a terminal disease. If that happens, it will again be interesting to see how the story holds after this revelation especially, because it‘s too linear a plot for a daily soap. |
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.
