MAM
Swayamvar 3 ends on a high with 5.1 TVR
MUMBAI: Imagine TV‘s flagship reality series, Swayamvar, has not lost its charm yet. Even if the third season of the show, Ratan ka Rishta, could not match Rakhi Sawant‘s oomph factor or Rahul Mahajan‘s on-screen marriage, it did fairly well and lifted the channel to over 100 GRPs (gross rating points).
In fact, the show even did better than Imagine TV‘s high budget Zor Ka Zhataka – Total Wipeout, where the channel had invested in Shah Rukh Khan to get him as host.
The three-hour finale of Ratan Ka Rishta on 3 July got a TVR of 5.1, according to Tam data. Even the two-hour Sangeet ceremony episode on 2 July had managed to clock a TVR of 2.8. The ‘Mehendi‘ episode on 1 July got a TVR of 2.3.
Though Ratan Rajput‘s wedding managed to match the performance of Rahul Mahajan‘s finale, it couldn‘t match up to Rakhi‘s Swayamvar. Rakhi‘s finale (Faisale Ki Raat) had touched a whopping 8.4 TVR, that too when the bombshell had not married on the screen.
Imagine TV, however, could not change its position in the GEC pecking order and remained behind Sab with 104 GRPs. In the week before, the channel had sprung up to 107 GRPs.
Meanwhile, the Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) genre has seen a marginal dip in the overall GRPs (gross rating points) during the week ended 9 July. However, the order of the GECs has remained unchanged.
As per TAM data for week 28 (C&S 4+, HSM), Sony Entertainment Television (Set) was the only Hindi GEC which gained during the week. On the back of its fiction show Bade Acche Lagte Hain, the channel added 11 GRPs and closed with 184 GRPs under its kitty as compared to 173 GRPs in the prior week. The show reached a peak TVR of 3.8. However, it still remained at No. 4, below Zee TV.
Zee TV, which recently donned a new look, has lost 12 GRPs in the week. However, it maintained its fourth position in the GEC chart and closed with 205 GRPs. In the previous week, the channel had shed 11 GRPs.
Overall, the GEC segment has shrunk 26 GRPs in the week. For the week ended 2 July, the total GRPs of the Hindi GEC genre stood at 1309 compared to 1283 in the week under review.
Meanwhile, genre leader Star Plus and No. 2 Colors maintained their positions, even though their GRPs dipped marginally. Star Plus closed the week with 309 GRPs (from 311) and Colors with 252 GRPs (253 GRPs in the last week).
Sab remained at its place with 131 GRPs (from 134 last week). Meanwhile, Star One and Sahara One pocketed 36 and 30 GRPs respectively.
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
