A silver jubilee celebration set to deliver blockbuster performances, iconic tributes, and television’s biggest stars
Star Plus is set to light up New Year’s Eve with the 25th Indian Television Academy (ITA) Awards, bringing one of Indian television’s most recognised celebrations to UAE screens on 31 December 2025. Marking 25 years of the ITA Awards, the silver jubilee edition promises an evening of performances, tributes, and familiar faces as viewers ring in the New Year.
The awards night will be hosted by Maniesh Paul, who will lead the evening with his trademark wit and easy humour. The Technical Awards, along with select special segments, will be hosted by Rohit Roy, recognising the creative teams working behind the scenes. On the red carpet, Dhwani Pawar and Kettan Singh will welcome television’s biggest names as they arrive for the celebrations.
Entertainment will run through the evening with comedy gags and interactive moments featuring Krushna Abhishek, Dhwani Pawar, and Kiku Sharda, adding light-hearted breaks between awards and performances. The humour quotient will get a boost with live audience interactions, including Krushna Abhishek appearing as a Sheikh and Kiku Sharda as a belly dancer. The night will also feature playful sketches such as TV Aajkal aur Kal, with Krushna as Baa and Kiku as the original Baa, as well as a behind-the-scenes moment recreating the ITA story with Krushna as Shashi Ranjan and Dhwani Pawar as Anu Ranjan.
The silver jubilee edition also lines up a strong mix of dance and musical acts. The Stars of Star segment will bring together popular on-screen pairs from Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai and Anupamaa, setting the pace for the night. This will be followed by Queens of the Decade, featuring Sanjeeda Shaikh, Barkha Bisht, and Shubhangi Atre, celebrating some of television’s most recognisable leading ladies.
Adding a dose of humour and nostalgia, TV vs Bollywood will see Rupali Ganguly and Krushna Abhishek playfully explore the worlds of the small and big screen. Dance takes centre stage again with the Bollywood Hook-Step Bash, where Harshad Chopda, Pranali Rathod, Shalin Bhanot, and Ashi Singh will revisit iconic Bollywood moves, while the Sizzling Diva Act featuring Shivangi Joshi and Nia Sharma brings glamour to the evening.
A more emotional note will come with the Shraddhanjali Act, a musical tribute honouring respected artistes from the industry who are no longer with us. The night will build towards its musical high point with Sonu Nigam headlining the Showstopper Act, closing the celebrations on a memorable note.
With a mix of performances, humour, tributes, and television’s most recognisable faces, the 25th Indian Television Academy Awards shapes up as a festive watch for audiences across the UAE.