MAM
Hindi GEC genre expands on back of fiction
MUMBAI: The Hindi GEC genre has expanded 41 GRPS (gross rating points) for the week ended 2 July.
Also, the genre leader Star Plus, No. 4 in the ladder Sony Entertainment Television (Set) and Imagine TV saw major gains (almost 20 GRPs) each.
Star Plus crossed the 300 GRP mark once again as it added 19 GRPs to its previous week‘s tally to close with 311. All the primetime shows of the channel saw a jump in viewership, which resulted in Star Plus‘ gain.
Meanwhile, Colors and Zee TV, the second and third ranked Hindi general entertainment channels, dipped. Colors shed 10 GRPs to end the week with 253 GRPs. Zee TV lost 23 GRPs to close with 205 GRPs.
Zee TV‘s Pavitra Rishta is still ruling the shows chart with 5.1 TVR while Colors‘ Balika Vadhu is in hot pursuit with 5.06 TVR.
Set, meanwhile, saw a 23 GRP jump as its biggest fiction property, Bade Acche Lagte Hain, gained from 2.4 TVR in the last week to 3 TVR in the current week. The channel got 173 GRPs in the week as per data from TAM for the Hindi speaking markets (C&S, 4+).
Imagine TV, which aired the Sangeet episode of its Swayamvar season 3 – Ratan Ka Rishta, added 26 GRPs to pocket 107 GRPs (from 81 GRPs in the week ago), a coup achieved after a long time. However, it remained lower than Sab, which is stable at No. 5 with 134 GRPs (last week 137).
Star One, meanwhile, collected 41 GRPs (from 38) while Sahara One was at 34 GRPs (from 29).
Brands
Maharashtra panel orders Lodha to refund Rs 5 crore to homebuyers
Consumer court flags unfair practices in long-running property dispute case
MUMBAI: In a sharp rebuke to one of India’s biggest real estate players, the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed Macrotech Developers to refund nearly Rs 5 crore to a senior citizen couple, Uttam and Anindita Chatterjee. The ruling, delivered on March 13, 2026, calls out the developer for “deficiency in service” and “unfair trade practices”, bringing closure to a dispute that has stretched over a decade.
The case traces back to 2015, when the couple booked a 3-BHK flat at World Towers in Lower Parel for Rs 12.22 crore, with possession promised within a year. What followed was a series of changes that complicated matters. After deciding to exit the project, they were persuaded to shift to a 4-BHK in another development priced at Rs 8 crore, with delivery scheduled for 2018. However, within months, the price was allegedly increased to Rs 10 crore. After demonetisation reshaped the market, similar flats were reportedly being offered at lower prices, but the couple were not given the benefit.
Despite paying over Rs 2.83 crore, the couple neither received possession nor clarity. Instead, in 2018, the developer unilaterally cancelled the booking, retained part of the amount as earnest money, and argued that the buyers were investors rather than consumers. The commission rejected this claim, observing that casual references to “investment” do not take away consumer rights when the purchase intent is residential.
The bench also held that the developer could not penalise buyers for payment delays while failing to meet its own delivery commitments. It noted the lack of formal documentation for revised terms and termed the prolonged retention of funds without delivering a home as exploitative.
As part of its order, the commission directed the developer to refund Rs 2.83 crore paid by the couple, along with interest at 10 per cent per annum, amounting to around Rs 2.12 crore. In addition, Rs 1 lakh has been awarded for mental agony and Rs 50,000 towards litigation costs, taking the total payout to over Rs 5 crore. The developer has been asked to comply within two months.
For now, the ruling serves as a reminder that in real estate, shifting terms and delayed promises can carry a significant cost.
