THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In yet another sign of the channel boom just about to explode in the near future, Asianet’s most visible vice-president and popular talk show host R Sreekantan Nair has tendered his resignation.
Sreekantan Nair has been approached by Malayala Manorama to associate with them in the capacity of a creative consultant in their soon-to-be-launched entertainment channel.
Sreekantan Nair is the second big ticket TV personality, after M V Nikesh Kumar’s exit from Indiavision, to quit a channel in which he had played a crucial role.
Sreekantan Nair’s exit is all the more surprising because it comes close on the heels of the incomparable success of the ‘Star Singer’ series widely considered his baby.
Sreekantan Nair confirmed that he had expressed his wish to move on from the channel in which he was a major presence for more than a decade.
“I cannot call it a resignation but I have expressed a wish to move out. I have plans to strengthen my own company, Magic Media,’’ he told Express. He, however, ruled out taking over as the head of the Manorama entertainment channel.
“Jude Attippetty will be in charge of the channel,’’ Sreekantan Nair said. He also said Asianet had not entertained his wish. “They are not willing to spare me. They want more time,’’ he said.
Sreekantan Nair’s plan is to create entertainment programmes under the banner of Magic Media and then sell it to the channel. He also said that he would have to bid goodbye to his talk show ‘Nammal Thammil’ that had completed a record 750 episodes.
“The talk show belongs to Asianet. It will remain with the channel and they will continue the show with another host,’’ he said.