News Broadcasting
Gauri-Hiten set to wed
MUMBAI: Gauri Pradhan and Hiten Tejwani, the duo that strode into the limelight as the star crossed couple in Balaji Telefilms’ Kutumb on SET, are set to tie the knot in real life at a Pune hotel on 29 April.
The two, who also did a Kya Haadsa Kya Haqeeqat series (also a Balaji production on SET) are currently acting together in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (also Balaji, but on Star Plus) where Gauri plays Nandini and Hiten plays Karan. While Karan may not get Nandini in reel life, courtesy Ansh, he is all set to make it ring true in real life.
The stage is set for a Maharashtrian style shaadi. “Gauri is a Pune girl, so it was quite natural that we would have the shaadi there,” said Hiten, speaking to indiantelevision.com this morning.
Fine, but why not a Sindhi wedding? Laughs Hiten, “I didn’t want to have an ostentatious wedding ceremony. I have always believed in simplicity and I was very particular on that.”
While speculation on the Gauri – Hiten relationship has been rife in industry circles, both of them had vehmently denied the rumours initially. “We didn’t want too much to be written about us until D-day. It’s always better to say things when they actually happen,” says Hiten, whose simplicity was what attracted Gauri, he says.
While Hiten will wear a sherwani for the pheras, Gauri (who was off screen for quite some time after Naam Gum Jayega on SET last year lived up to its name rather too soon) will drape a yellow coloured typically Maharashtrian saree for the occasion.
The couple will fly to Bangkok for a short six-day honeymoon. “We have adjusted our shooting dates” says Hiten, who is also acting in Kkoi Dil Mein Hai on SET. “We will come back on 6 May and have a reception in Mumbai.”
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
