MUMBAI: Malayalam television network Asianet is completing 14 years during this Onam season. Understandably, the channel has an innovative game plan for the occasion and it goes like this: To mark its 14th anniversary, the channel has now kicked off a 14-day celebration, which kicked off on 27 August and will conclude on 9 September.
During the period, the channel brings to its viewers a heavy doze of entertainment content, ranging from blockbuster movies to celebrity interviews to cultural specials.
Here is a look at what Asianet has in store for the occasion:
De Maveli Kombathu by film star Dileep and Nadirsha:
This is the picturisation of the most popular parody cassette, De Maveli Kombathu. This is an exclusive programme containing mimicry, parody songs, skits etc by around 50 artists including cine star Dileep. This parody cassette is the most popular one, which has been a hot stuff for sale for the last few years.
Date of telecast: Thiruvonam ( 5 September)
Duration: one hour
Tharakodathy: This is a programme in which film artist Dilip is being cross-examined by actor Jagdeesh. This is comedy stuff. Dilip’s onam movie ” DON ” will also be highlighted in this programme.
Date of telecast: Thiruvonam ( 5 September)
Duration: 30 minutes
Special interviews:
It is decided to have 14 special interviews during celebration with four interviews during Onam days exclusively with popular film artists including Mammootty, Kamal Haasan, Nayan Thara, Rambha, Sheela, Bhagyaraj & family, Biju Menon & family, Surya, Vikram, Meera Jasmine, Navya Nair, Ks Chitra and Mohini.
Short humorous skit for duration between 13 minutes. A few skits on lighter vein for telecast during main Onam days. Participants will be from Cinemala, Thattukada, Comedy Cousins and Snmanassullavarkku Samadhanan
Programmes with television artists.
Onam feast, special chatting, Onapattukal, Onakkalikal etc with artists of ongoing serials by Asianet.
Date of telecast: Utharadam ( 4 September)
Duration: 1 hour
Serial Quiz. This will be a live quiz on serials telecast on Asianet.
Date of telecast: (30 August)
Duration: one hour
Onam released films: Special programme in films released during Onam celebrations
Date of telecast: Pooradam-Uthradam ( 4 September)
Duration: 30 minutes
Antakshari by G Venugopal & Ranjini Jose: This is a musical Anantakshari by playback singer Venugopal and Ranjini Jose
Date of telecast: Thrikkatta and Uthrittathi (7 September and 9 September)
Duration: 30 minutes
Onavibhavangal presented by film and TV artists.( Special cookery show)
Date of telecast: Utharadam ( 4 September)
Duration: 30 minutes
Kuttikalude Onam:
Date of telecast: Pooruruthathi (8 September ).
Duration: 30 minutes
Ganamela
This is a live Ganamela with request from viewers. Participants will be playback singers and serial artists.
Date of telecast: 29 August
Duration: one hour
Kalabhavan Mani and his reputed characters in an innovative format.
Date of telecast: Utharadam ( 6 September)
Duration: 30 minutes
Sreenivasan Vs Junior Sreenivasan: This is a humorous encounter between cine artist Sreenivasan and his son Vineeth Sreenivasan which is a first time they are coming together for a TV programme.
Date of telecast: Thiruvonam ( 6 September)
Onam Oru Kuttanadan Style: There is special customs and humorous way that the old and new generation celebrating Onam in Kuttanad. They have been following a special style of celebrations, ignoring age. Their Onam starts from the toddy shop, with different folk songs.
This will be an innovative production
Date of telecast: Pooruruthathy ( 6 September)
Mammooty for Mammooty: This is also an unconventional way of presenting Mammooty on a TV channel. He has planned to visit a place, which we can never imagine.
Date of telecast: Thiruvonam ( 6 September)
Kamalum Kayalum: Superstar Kamalhassan is making a travel in a houseboat specially arranged for the shoot, which will be totally done in the lakes.
Date of telecast: Utharadam ( 6 September)
Hi Vikram: South Indian Superstar Vikram will appear on the channel in an innovative style for electrifying our youth and other audience in the Onam Day.
Date of telecast: Thiruvonam ( 6 September)
60 Mimicrykkarum Arayiram Navum: This is a humorous talk show including performance by 60 reputed mimicry artists of Kerala. The total programme will be in a humorous genre. All most all the leading mimicry artists of Kerala will participate in the programme in the backdrop of a good set.
Date of telecast: Avittam( 6 September)
Duration: 2 hours
Ente Gramam ( My Village): This is a programme visualizing the nostalgic travel of a film artist to his village or native place.
Date of telecast: Avittam( 6 September)
Duration: 30 minutes
A day with Meera Jasmine: We are telecasting an in-depth chatting with Meera Jasmine.
Date of telecast: Avittam( 6 September)
Vidhyasagar being interview by playback singers: In this programme, the hit making music director is being interviewed by playback singers like Vijay Yesudas, Mahathy,Tippu etc with many number of songs he has done in different languages of South India.
Date of telecast: Pooradam( 3 September)
Nadodikkattu: Special Cinemala (shot at Banglore)
This is a humors depiction of the famous film, Nadodikkattu with Cinemala artists along with a few film artists also.
Date of telecast: Pooradam( 3 September)
Duration: 30 minutes
Ottamthullal by Ginnus Manoj ( who is doing Achuthnandan on stage)
This is a political ottanthullal with sufficient satiric stuff on contemporary politics.
Duration: 30 minutes
Date of telecast: Chathayam( 7 September)
Special Nammal Thammil with all mimicry artists imitating V S Achuthanadan titled as ‘ Achuthanadansangamam)
Date of telecast: Pooradam ( 3 September)
Special close up with Nayanthara titled as Nammude Nayana Tharam. This is a very informal chat with South Indian star Nayanthara.
Date of telecast:Thiruvonam ( 5 September)
Duration: 30 minutes
Greetings for the 14th year celebration of Asianet
There will have greetings by VIP’s and film artists for duration of one minute in connection with anniversary celebration..
Short pieces documenting programmes of Asianet over 14 years. We will put short duration fillers with excerpts from unique programmes, which we have telecast over the last 14 years. This will be done with an impressive graphics background, informs an official release.
Date of telecast: Spreading over 14 days
Duration: 1-2 minutes.
Asianet News
1) 27 August
Athachamayam live from Thrippunithura from 7 am.
2) 28 August 8:30 pm
Onakkodi, a half our documentary
3) 29 August 8:30 pm
Regional flavours of Onam – South Kerala
4) 30 Aug.ust 8:30 pm
Regional flavours of Onam – Central Kerala
5) 31 August 8:30 pm
Regional flavours of Onam – Malabar
6) 1 September 8:30
Onachitrangal – On the new movies to be released during Onam.
7) 4 September 8:30 to 9:30
Grandmothers & Kids – the family interaction show
8) 5 September 8:30 pm
Maveli Vartha: News presenter appears masquerading Mahabali and presents various entertaining news on Onam.
9) 6 September 8:30 pm
Onakkalikal – On various games of yesteryears played during Onam festival
10) 7 September 8:30 pm
Onakkavithakal – A documentary on poems written by various poets for Onam.
11) 8 September 8:30 pm
Ona Ganangal – Top film songs on Onam.
12) 9 September 2 pm to 6 pm
Uthrattathi Vallamkali – live from Aranmula.
Asianet Plus
Some of big youth idols will be featured on the channel during this Onam. The highlight of the season would be an intimate interview with Harris Jayaraj, who had taken the music world with storm, through enchanting numbers of Minnale and Anniyan.
Superstar Dileep would be taking a trip down memory lane to his formative years, where he would be talking bout his trials, turbulences and successes in life.
K.S.Chitra, the melody queen of South India, chats up with the finalists of Idea Star Singer.
Johnson, the most outspoken and the most melodious of our music directors in a freewheeling chat with G.Venugopal. Ouseppachan, who is most remembered for his lilting tunes opens his mind.
The most lovable of the Malayalam heroines, Kavya Madhavan, chats up about her life and career. Other stars and celebrities being featured are: Jayaram, Jayasurya, Navya Nair and Padmapriya.
Two game shows are being planned, one a five day long series with the finals of it being aired on Thiruvonam Day. There would be a reality travel show with the VJs of Asianet Plus. A feature on the movie Classmates with the artistes and director. A Telefilm with Onam as the central theme. Special shows with focus on Onam songs and a music video featuring the artistes and VJs of Asianet Plus.
Besides these programmes, the whole look and feel of the channel would be made to highlight the Onam mood, as per an official communiqué.