GECs

How GECs plan to light up viewers’ Diwali

Published

5 years ago

November 14, 2020

MUMBAI: Diwali, the festival of lights, symbolises homecoming as well as new beginnings. Whether or not one subscribes to the mythological or religious significance of this festival, it cannot be denied that it’s a time of togetherness, of spreading happiness and good cheer. In a similar fashion, Hindi and regional GECs have curated special programming to light up Diwali for their viewers.

As we cope with the new normal, TV channels are keeping the festive spirits high with their best programs, presenting viewers with a perfect opportunity to spend this golden time with their families and binge watch their all-time favourite shows. We list down their Diwali line-up this year:

Zee TV:

During Diwali there is a special festive event on the cards for fans of the channel’s top-rated shows Kundali Bhagya and Kumkum Bhagya. During the day, audiences can look forward to the telecast of special awards shows and events like Zee Cine Awards 2020, Zee Rishtey Awards 2019 and the film, Good Newwz. The network will also premiere its highly anticipated collaboration with Balaji Telefilms, Brahmarakshas 2, on the weekend after Diwali.

Kya hai woh ateet ka kaala raaz, jo laaya hai Kalindi aur Angad ko paas? Jaanne ke liye dekhiye #Brahmarakshas2, 22nd November se, Sat-Sun, raat 9 baje, sirf #ZeeTV par. #PhirJaagUthaShaitaan #Binder @pearlvpuri #NikkiSharma pic.twitter.com/lu1OxGfJ5A
— ZeeTV (@ZeeTV) November 13, 2020

Colors Marathi:

Colors Marathi has curated a special Diwali programming line-up for its viewers. From November 13 to 16, the channel has in store special episodes of its most popular fiction shows like Jeev Zala YedaPisa, Sukhi Mansacha Sadara, Sundara Manamadhye Bharli, to name a few. To drive the audience’s festive sentiment a notch higher, the channel will also host a special singing Diwali show named Ghei Chanda on 15 November at 12 noon, featuring renowned Indian classical vocalists Mahesh Kale and Rahul Deshpande.

#SubodhBhave #RahulDeshpande @maheshmkale #GheeiChand #ColorsMarathi pic.twitter.com/R9yuS77raf
— Colors Marathi (@ColorsMarathi) November 12, 2020

Romedy Now:

Lighting up this Diwali with the best visual treat for viewers, Romedy Now has brought ‘Diwali Delights’ through 1 to 14 November, every night at 9 pm. The property will air some of the most wholesome Hollywood rom-coms such as Marley & Me, First Daughter, Love & Other Drugs, Down With Love, Burnt and Bride Wars.

Peter lives a dull life with a job he doesn't like and to make it worse, his girlfriend dumps him. Watch him turn his life around and live a dream Bigger Than The Sky on #DiwaliDelights tonight at 11 PM. #BiggerThanTheSky pic.twitter.com/1sYe8PBMFD
— Romedy NOW (@RomedyNow) November 12, 2020

Colors Kannada:

On the non-fiction front, the channel will air special event Jodi Deepavali on 15 November at 1 pm. Couples from Kannada television and cinema will come together and celebrate with fun tasks, rib-tickling gimmicks, songs, and dance to make it a special Deepawali. The show will be hosted by Kannada television’s most energetic and enthusiastic anchor, Akul Balaji. The fun doesn’t end there, as the channel will also air Baahubali at 4:30 pm on 15 November.

As a special Diwali gift for viewers, Colors Kannada aims to spread love with the launch of Hoo Male on 16 November at 9 pm.

#HooMale #ColorsKannada # # pic.twitter.com/cUQ6qJ9Qgx
— Colors Kannada (@ColorsKannada) November 9, 2020
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Dangal TV:

To celebrate Diwali, Dangal TV has shored up its primetime viewing with the debut of mythological series Devi Adi Parashakti on 9 November. The show has been produced by Swastik Productions and will be telecast Monday to Saturday at 9 pm.

" quot;
## #DangalTV #DangalTVChannel #DeviAadiParashakti # # #tvseries #tvshow #tv #actor #tvshows #drama #serietv #television #religious #shiva pic.twitter.com/uiKv3WBQIV
— Dangal TV Channel (@DangalTV) November 13, 2020

Big Ganga:

Ganga Deewali Carnival is Big Ganga’s hot ticket property for this time of the year. The four-day multi-entertainment, multi-celebrity festivity will begin 10 November and culminate on 14 November.

Colors Tamil:

With its special Diwali line-up, Colors Tamil aims to provide viewers with an added reason to look forward to the festivities. In the non-fiction category, the channel has curated special Diwali episodes for Sindhanaigal Simplified and for their recently launched show Colors Kitchen.

Sinthanaigal Simplified with Gurudev Shri Shri Ravi Shankar will have popular actor Yugi Sethu engaging in a refreshing conversation about life and spirituality on Saturday, 14 November 2020 at 11:00 am. This special Diwali episode is also the show’s finale. Following this, Colors Kitchen will spice up the celebrations at noon, with Chef Damu, Chef Shreya and Colors Tamil artists cooking up a delectable festive feast.

To pump up the fun spirit of Diwali further, Colors Tamil is also set to present the world television premiere of Chitiram Pesuthadi – 2 on 14 November at 4 pm. A multi-starrer film, Chitiram Pesuthadi – 2 is a hyperlink drama that encompasses four gripping stories which take place in a time frame of 48 hours.

Further, adding sparkle to its original programming in the fiction category, Colors Tamil has curated a special Diwali line up for its shows Amman, Idhayathai Thirudathey and Uyire.

#Diwali2020 #Manishajith #Nirosha!#ColorsKitchen @Sri_TS | @chefdamu | #ChefShreeya | #RedChocolatePattasu | #ColorsTamil pic.twitter.com/mxCrNV3vS2
— Colors Tamil (@ColorsTvTamil) November 10, 2020

Colors Bangla Cinema:

Colors Bangla Cinema will rejoice in the festivities of Kali Pujo and Bhai Fonta by showcasing special movies from 14 to 16 November. The channel will air blockbuster films such as Chore Chore Mastuto Bhai, Adorer Bon-Dadar Adesh and Inquilab-Greftaar to entertain its viewers during Diwali.

Zee Biskope:

On the eve of Diwali, Zee Biskope has lined up the world television premiere of Aandhi Toofan, co-presented by Nestle Munch. It will air on 13 November 2020 at 6 pm.

Nickelodeon:

Nickelodeon is all set to make sure that kids and their families enjoy the festive weekend through a host of exclusively crafted fun entertainment and engagement experiences.

To start off, the channel will premiere a made for television movie headlined by kid’s favourite toon Shiva called Rise of the Technosapiens. Set to premiere on 14 November 2020 at 11.30am, the action-adventure film will take kids on a roller coaster ride with super kid Shiva.

Diwali Dhamaka Weekend ft. toons' ke action, jokes, aur lots more!
Toon in on 14th and 15th Nov, 8 AM onwards, only on Nick India.#Diwali #DiwaliWeekend #Action #Fun #Masti pic.twitter.com/cvP2MpTCst
— NickIndia (@NickIndia) November 13, 2020

Related Topics:Colors Dangal Diwali Diwali Programming Hindi GEC Nickelodeon regional GEC Zee

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GECs

Sun TV posts steady revenue, profit dips amid rising costs

Published

1 week ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

CHENNAI: It appears there is still plenty of Sun to go around in the Indian broadcasting landscape, even if a few clouds have drifted across the financial horizon. Sun TV Network Limited, the Chennai-based behemoth that dominates airwaves across seven languages, has tuned into a steady frequency for the quarter ending 31 December 2025. While the numbers show a resilient revenue stream, the company’s latest broadcast reveals a few static-filled spots in its profit margins.

For the quarter in question, Sun TV’s total income climbed by approximately 3.31 per cent, reaching Rs 958.39 crores compared to Rs 927.66 crores in the same period last year. Revenue from operations also saw a healthy bump, rising 4.32 per cent to Rs 827.87 crores.

The real star of the show, however, was domestic subscription revenue, which surged by 8.86 per cent to Rs 472.99 crores. This growth highlights the enduring appetite for Sun’s diverse content, which spans everything from daily soaps in Tamil and Telugu to its burgeoning OTT platform, Sun NXT.

Despite the revenue growth, the picture quality of the profits was slightly blurred by rising costs. Eitda for the quarter stood at Rs 409.79 crores, a dip from the Rs 432.14 crores recorded in the corresponding 2024 quarter.

The profit after tax followed a similar downward trend, settling at Rs 316.44 crores against the previous year’s Rs 347.17 crores. Advertisers also seemed to have switched channels slightly, with advertisement revenues sliding to Rs 291.94 crores from Rs 332.17 crores.

Sun TV isn’t just playing on home turf; its sporting ambitions are becoming increasingly global. The network now owns three major cricket franchises: SunRisers Hyderabad in the IPL, SunRisers Eastern Cape in SA20, and SunRisers Leeds Limited in The Hundred (UK).

The foray into British cricket saw the company acquire a 100 per cent stake in Northern Superchargers Limited (now SunRisers Leeds) for approximately £100 million. While these franchises brought in Rs 14.61 crores this quarter, they also incurred corresponding costs of Rs 19.89 crores. Over the nine-month period, however, the cricket business is a major player, contributing Rs 487.64 crores in income.

The company’s bottom line took a minor hit from exceptional items, including a Rs 4.23 crore charge related to India’s new Labour Codes, which consolidated 29 existing labour laws. Additionally, the consolidated results reflect the amalgamation of Kal Radio Limited with Udaya FM, a move that became effective in May 2025 and required a restatement of previous figures.

To keep investors from reaching for the remote, the Board has declared an interim dividend of 50 per cent, that’s Rs 2.50 per equity share. This comes on top of earlier dividends of 100 per cent (Rs 5.00) and 75 per cent (Rs 3.75) declared in August and November 2025, respectively.

With a massive cash reserve and a dominant position in the South Indian market, Sun TV continues to shine, even if the current quarter required a bit of fine-tuning. For now, shareholders can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

GECs

SPNI hires Pradeep M with responsibility for standards and practices in the south

Published

2 weeks ago

February 3, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India has hired Pradeep M to handle standards and practices for its southern market, bolstering its compliance bench as content rules tighten across platforms.

Pradeep, who has nearly 13 years in the entertainment media industry, takes on responsibility for content standards in a region that is both linguistically diverse and regulatorily sensitive. His brief spans television, OTT, sports and digital platforms.

He specialises in content review and compliance across shows, commercials, on-air promotions and international feeds, ensuring alignment with broadcast, OTT and advertising codes. He has also handled brand approvals and sponsorship integrations for heavily regulated categories—including online gaming, cryptocurrency, NFTs and lottery brands—offering guidance shaped by fast-evolving rules.

Before Sony, Pradeep worked at Jiostar as assistant manager for content regulation from November 2024 to January 2026. Earlier, he spent nearly seven years at Viacom18 Media, rising from senior executive to assistant manager in content regulation between 2018 and 2024. There he served as a key compliance touchpoint for the network.

His career began on the creative side. Between 2013 and 2018, he worked as executive producer on feature films and television shows, gaining hands-on exposure to production. He also had a stint as a non-fiction show director at Star TV Network in 2017. That mix of creative and regulatory experience gives him a dual lens—how content is made and how it must be managed.

As regulators, platforms and advertisers all tighten the screws, broadcasters are investing more in gatekeepers who can keep creativity within the lines. Sony’s latest hire shows where the industry is heading: in the streaming age, compliance is content’s quiet co-star.

GECs

Colors Gujarati rolls out two new shows from 2nd February

Published

2 weeks ago

February 2, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Colors Gujarati has unveiled two new prime-time shows as part of its push to strengthen culturally rooted storytelling for regional audiences. The channel will premiere the devotional saga Gangasati–Paanbai at 7.30 pm, followed by the romantic family drama Manmelo at 9.30 pm from February 2.

Inspired by Gujarat’s spiritual and literary heritage, Gangasati–Paanbai: Shyam Dhun No Navo Adhyay draws from the timeless bhajans and poetry of saint-poetesses Gangasati and Paanbai, weaving devotion and human values into a contemporary narrative aimed at younger viewers.

In contrast, Manmelo explores love and responsibility across social divides, tracing the lives of three middle-class sisters whose relationships with three affluent brothers reshape their futures. The show delves into ambition, emotional conflict and the realities of married life, offering a layered family drama.

A Colors Gujarati spokesperson said the new launches reflect the channel’s commitment to authentic Gujarati entertainment that blends cultural values with modern storytelling.