Astro Studios Sdn Bhd wins at Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards 2025
The company is the recipient of the Audio Description – Malaysia accolade, highlighting its efforts in making content and entertainment more accessible.
Astro Studios Sdn Bhd earned recognition at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards 2025 with its Audio Description premieres.
For the first time in Malaysia, a drama series has been specially made to be enjoyed by visually impaired audiences. “Dari Mata Turun Ke Hati” is a romantic comedy that now includes Audio Description (AD)—a voice-over track that describes what’s happening on screen—for people who can’t see the visuals.
This project, which is deemed a big step in making Malaysian TV more inclusive, aired from 12 August to 5 September 2024, with a total of 16 episodes from Monday to Thursday at 10pm.
The series follows the story of Jai, a misunderstood tough guy who unexpectedly falls in love with Iris Sofea, a smart and independent blind girl. The characters face challenges together, showing how love can go beyond appearances and expectations.
As this is the first time a Malaysian drama has been produced with Audio Description, the team had to rethink how they made the show, meticulously running through scripting to sound mixing. The goal was to make sure blind or low-vision audiences could experience the full story—with emotions, settings, and all—just through sound.
To make this into reality, writers added detailed descriptions of actions, facial expressions, and settings between the dialogue. A narrator with a clear voice and the ability to express emotion naturally was also chosen for the project.
The sound quality was also meticulously recorded, with the recording being done using top equipment to make sure every word and sound was crisp. Additionally, the team carefully balanced the voice-over with the original music and sound effects so nothing gets lost.
To enable all Malaysians, including those visually impaired, to enjoy this series, it was made available on multiple platforms, including the Malaysian streaming app, sooka, for free.
The project drew commendations from viewers and accessibility advocates, including the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB). Many found the approach effective, saying it made a real difference in helping them enjoy a mainstream TV drama just like everyone else.
This effort sets a new standard for future shows in Malaysia and encourages more producers to include accessibility features like AD. It shows that good storytelling should be for everyone, no matter how they experience it.
Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards commends companies, industry partners, and vendors in the broadcasting industry that introduce technological advancements in the field. The awards programme highlights projects and initiatives in areas such as digitalisation and engineering.
The Asia Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards is presented by Asia Pacific Broadcasting+. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your innovation and excellence in projects that advance the field of broadcasting in Asia, please contact Jane Patiag at awards@charltonmediamail.com.
