GECs
Zee’s ‘Antakshari’ completes 11 years
MUMBAI: The mother of all antakshari shows on television, Zee’s Antakshari has completed 11 years. Produced by Sa Re Ga Ma, Antakshari is the longest running musical game show on Indian television.
An event held in suburban Mumbai to celebrate the occasion was attended by anchor of the show Annu Kapoor, Sa Re Ga Ma creative director Gajendra Singh, Bollywood’s fun man Johny Lever and actors Akhilendra Mishra and Yashpal Sharma. The Antakshari team was honoured during the occasion. Kapoor anchored the show along with Archana Puran Singh.
Speaking on the occasion, Zee TV president Abhijit Saxena said, “For us, it’s a very proud moment. The scale to which this show has been accepted is phenomenal. I would like to take this platform to thank all the participants and the viewers for their invaluable support. We hope we are able to garner the same enthusiasm in the next decade.”
Gajendra Singh, who has been responsible for the show since it’s conception, said, “For me, I regard this show as my child. I am experiencing the same amount of happiness as one would when one’s own make it big. I want to better at our effort for the coming decade. We have changed with the times, for our audiences. The acceptance and the love that the show has achieved, is mindblowing.”
GECs
Sebi sends show-cause notice to Zee over fund diversion, company responds
Regulator questions 2018 letter of comfort and governance lapses; company vows robust legal response
MUMBAI: India’s markets watchdog has reignited its long-running scrutiny of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, issuing a sweeping show-cause notice that drags the broadcaster and 84 others into a widening governance storm.
The notice, dated February 12, has been served by the Securities and Exchange Board of India to Zee, chairman emeritus Subhash Chandra and managing director and chief executive Punit Goenka, among others. At its heart: allegations that company funds were indirectly routed to settle liabilities of entities linked to the Essel Group.
The regulator’s probe traces its roots to November 2019, when two independent directors resigned from Zee’s board, flagging concerns over the alleged appropriation of fixed deposits by Yes Bank. The deposits were reportedly adjusted against loans extended to Essel Group entities, triggering questions about related-party dealings and board oversight.
A key flashpoint is a letter of comfort dated September 4, 2018, issued by Subhash Chandra in his dual capacity as chairman of Zee and the Essel Group. The document, linked to credit facilities availed by certain group companies from Yes Bank, was allegedly known only to select members of management and not disclosed to the full board—an omission SEBI believes raises red flags over transparency and governance controls.
Zee has pushed back hard. In a statement, the company said it “strongly refutes” the allegations against it and its board members and will file a detailed response. It expressed confidence that SEBI would conduct a fair review and signalled readiness to pursue all legal remedies to protect shareholder interests.
The notice marks the latest twist in a saga that has shadowed the broadcaster since 2019. What began as boardroom unease has morphed into a full-blown regulatory confrontation. The final reckoning now rests with SEBI—but the reputational stakes for Zee, and the message for India Inc on governance discipline, could scarcely be higher.
