Executive Dossier
‘The bottomline will increase significantly as we are de-risking SABTNL from the broadcasting business’ : Markand Adhikari- SABTNL vice chairman
When Adhikari brothers floated Sab TV, they had the vision of growing from a pure content to a broadcasting company. But facing competition from biggies like Star Plus and Sony TV, they quickly took the niche positioning of a comedy channel. But lacking resources to push growth, the Adhikaris initiated talks with Sony Group for a buy out.
Extensive negotiations over the last six months culminated in the announcement today that SET Satellite (Singapore) Pte Ltd was acquiring from Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network Limited (SABTNL), the Sab TV brand as well as 1305 hours of library content (representing 20 per cent of Sab TV’s library). The price: $ 13 million (approximately Rs 570 million).
Indiantelevision.com’s Sibabrata Das caught up with SABTNL vice-chairman and managing director Markand Adhikari for a quick lowdown on the ramifications of the deal.
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Why did you sell Sab TV when it had established its position as a niche comedy channel? |
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How will the Sony buy out of Sab TV affect SABTNL, the listed company? |
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Does this mean that for your future broadcasting projects, SABTNL will not have any equity ownership? |
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With SABTNL not having content on the Doordarshan network of channels, how much do you expect the company to gain from these captive contracts? |
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SABTNL will have a cash inflow of Rs 570 million to acquire the SAB TV brand and 20 per cent of the library. How much will be spent towards clearing the company’s debt? What are the other areas SABTNL will invest in? |
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When will Sony take complete control of Sab TV? |
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| Will the news and Marathi channels be under a single company? We are creating two different companies. Sab Samachar Ltd will handle the current affairs and news channel venture. We are likely to name it as Sri Adhikari Brothers Samachar Ltd. The Marathi channel will be under Sab Regional Network Ltd. That too will be renamed Sri Adhikari Brothers Regional Network Ltd. |
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What is the paid up capital for these two companies? |
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How much are you investing? |
MUMBAI: Game faces on, pressure high India’s gaming ambitions are levelling up. Good Game, billed as the world’s first as-live global gaming reality show, has officially launched in India with a bold mission: to crown the country’s first Global Gaming Superstar.
Blending esports with mainstream entertainment, the show brings together competitive gaming, creativity and on-camera performance in a format that tests more than just joystick skills. Contestants will be judged on gameplay, screen presence and their ability to perform under pressure, reflecting how gaming has evolved from pastime to profession and pop culture currency.
Fronting the show are three high-profile ambassadors: actor and entrepreneur Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Indian cricket star Rishabh Pant, and gaming creator Ujjwal Chaurasia. The winner will take home Rs 1 crore ($100,000) among the largest prize pools for any Indian reality show along with the chance to represent India on a global stage.
Backed by a planned annual investment of up to Rs 100 crore, Good Game is also courting brand partners, promising a minimum reach of 500 million among India’s core youth audience. The creators position the show as a bridge between entertainment and interactive culture, offering long-format content, community engagement and commercial scale.
Auditions are now open to Indian citizens aged 18 and above, inviting amateur and professional gamers, creators and performers alike. Shortlisted candidates will be called for in-person auditions in Mumbai on 14 and 15 February, and in Delhi on 28 February and 1 March 2026.
With big money, big names and even bigger ambition, Good Game signals a shift in how India views gaming not just as play, but as performance, profession and prime-time spectacle.
