Fiction
Colors brings a new fiction show ‘Agnisakshi… Ek Samjhauta’
Mumbai: Colors has come up with new fiction drama Agnisakshi… Ek Samjhauta follows the lives of a couple whose marriage is approaching its end.
It follows Jeevika (Shivika Pathak), whose dream of starting a new life with her husband Satvik (Aashay Mishra) is shattered on the first night of their marriage.
The show, produced by Pichchar Studio, premieres on 23 January and will air every Monday through Friday at 9 pm. on Colors.
Viacom18 Hindi Mass Entertainment chief content officer Manisha Sharma said, “We, at Colors, are driven by the endeavour to create and present content that is diverse and engaging. With Agnisakshi… Ek Samjhauta, we hope to underline how the traditions related to matrimony are embedded in our cultural fabric. This unique tale begins with a divorce rather than love. It will be interesting to watch the journey of characters as they traverse through the grey areas of marriage. We are happy to collaborate with Pichchar Studio for this show and we hope that this complex, yet interesting journey of Jeevika and Satvik will touch a chord with the audience.”
Agnisakshi… Ek Samjhauta is a story that follows the lives of Jeevika Rane and Satvik Bhosle, two polar opposite people who are brought together by fate and coaxed into a matrimonial union by their families. Unlike Jeevika, Satvik is opposed to the marriage, and in an unexpected turn of events, he hands over the divorce papers to his spouse on the first night of their marriage. Jeevika is a daydreamer who longs for a fairy-tale love story and the opportunity to start a family with the person she adores. Satvik, on the other hand, has given up on the idea of love and happiness, and his only ambition in life is to fulfil his father’s wishes.
Producer Srividya Raj said, “We usually see marriages that start with love but Agnisakshi… Ek Samjhauta is a unique love story which starts with divorce. We are excited about collaborating with Colors for a story that explores the nuances of marriage and familial relations. What sets the show apart is the unpredictable turn of events that unfold after the marriage and divorce.”
Talking about his character Aashay Mishra said, “Satvik’s character is an extremely intriguing one as there are several shades to it. Our show Agnisakshi is all about a marital bond between Satvik and Jeevika and how their relationship blossoms over a period balancing the unevenness between them is something worth watching for our audience. I am delighted to join the Colors family and I hope the viewers will support us in this brand-new journey.”
Talking about her debut Shivika Pathak said, “I am extremely grateful to mark my debut with Colors and bag such a dynamic role in Agnisakshi. My character Jeevika is a very simple family-oriented girl, full of life who believes in the institution of marriage and desires to have a happy one. The show trails a unique love story of Satvik and Jeevika which begins after a life-altering decision of divorce. I hope the audiences connect and become a part of this splendid journey and shower their love always.”
Fiction
Banijay merges with All3Media in $6.65 billion deal
Marco Bassetti will lead the combined company as CEO
PARIS: Six years after acquiring Endemol Shine at the height of the pandemic, Banijay has struck again. The European production heavyweight is merging with All3Media in a deal that will create a television titan with $6.65 billion in revenue and redraw the contours of a fast-consolidating market.
The combined company will trade under the Banijay name and be owned 50 per cent each by Banijay Group and RedBird IMI, which acquired All3Media in 2024. The transaction is expected to close by autumn, subject to regulatory approvals.
Banijay Entertainment CEO Marco Bassetti, will take the top job at the enlarged group. All3Media CEO Jane Turton becomes deputy CEO. RedBird IMI CEO Jeff Zucker will serve as chairman.
The logic is scale. Broadcasters are commissioning less, streamers are tightening budgets and global buyers are fewer but bigger. Against that backdrop, heft matters. The merged entity will generate roughly $6.65 billion in revenues based on 2024 figures, giving it sharper elbows in rights negotiations and deeper pockets for franchise-building.
“Entrepreneurialism, ambition and creativity” remain core to Banijay’s DNA, Bassetti said, flagging plans to invest more heavily in new intellectual property, live events and emerging platforms. Turton struck a similarly bullish note, pointing to All3Media’s journey from a 2003 start-up to a global supplier of hit formats and high-end drama.
Between them, the two groups control a formidable slate. Banijay’s catalogue spans MasterChef, Big Brother, Survivor, Black Mirror, Peaky Blinders and Deal or No Deal. All3Media’s labels include Studio Lambert, producer of The Traitors and Squid Game: The Challenge; Two Brothers, behind The Tourist; and Neal Street, currently producing the forthcoming Beatles biopics directed by Sam Mendes for Sony.
The back catalogue is equally muscular. Banijay Rights holds some 220,000 hours, while All3Media International adds around 35,000 hours, forming one of the industry’s largest libraries.
Banijay, controlled by French entrepreneur Stéphane Courbit and listed in Amsterdam, counts more than 130 production companies across 25 territories. All3Media operates over 40 labels, with strong positions in the UK, US and Germany. The enlarged group will also lean into live entertainment, building on Banijay’s Balich Wonder Studio, which produced the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, and the Independents.
The deal marks a shift in tone. As recently as October, Bassetti suggested that mergers and acquisitions were not a priority. But the drumbeat of consolidation has grown louder. Mediawan has moved for Peter Chernin’s North Road. David Ellison’s Paramount has agreed to a $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros, with plans to combine HBO Max and Paramount plus. ITV has explored selling its media and entertainment arm to Comcast-owned Sky, though talks have reportedly slowed.
