Gaming
ZEE5 ups engagement level with gamification feature for fiction TV shows
MUMBAI: Gamification is gradually taking up more space in different areas of digital entertainment but it has pertained to largely sports content or non-fiction shows in India. Taking it one step ahead, ZEE5 recently announced the launch of ZEE5 Super Family (ZSF) to provide consumers with a gaming experience for fiction TV shows as well. However, currently, the experience will be limited to Zee TV shows.
“We believe in the power of gamification as from a consumer perspective it helps drive engagement. And so far on our own platform we have done gamification for non-fiction shows and you would have heard gamification happening across other mediums also for non fictions shows. Zee Super Family League is a very innovative concept,” ZEE5 India head AVOD, SEO, news and stories Yogesh Manwani said.
“The viewers have a deep relationship with these TV characters and ZSF helps them express this fan love and take it to the next level in a fun and engaging manner. So it’s an attempt for us and we are very proud of the product as it is turning out,” he added.
ZSF will allow viewers to take a pick of their favourite on-screen characters across TV shows and curate their own Super Family. With roles such as saas, bahu, beta, dost, etc., to fill in, players can place bets on how the chosen characters will act out in the day’s TV episode and stand to win gratifications such as a car, smartphones, gift vouchers and ZEE5 subscriptions in case their predictions come true.
“We have been doing gamification on the platform for shows like Dadagiri, DID, Movie Masti with Maniesh Paul. Consumers like to engage and interact with these kind of solutions because it also is in a way an extension of the show property. We have seen some great numbers in terms of reach and our page views. Basis that we got encouraged and thought we should amplify our game application and ZSL is an attempt in that direction,” Manwani noted.
ZSF will include detailed easy-to-understand video tutorials that will assist viewers in playing the game and excel it to earn higher scores. The game also allows viewers to modify their family characters to improve scores and move ahead in the game. ZEE5 will be conducting an intriguing marketing campaign involving artists to encourage viewers participation and gratify first 50 viewers who submit their families with bonus prizes.
Although the platform has designed the concept and the product keeping only the consumer in mind, the property allows advertisers to come on board also and reach out to their audience.
Gaming
Bluestone FY26 revenue rises to Rs 2,436 crore, turns profitable
Q4 profit at Rs 31 crore, full-year profit at Rs 13 crore vs loss last year.
MUMBAI: From sparkle to numbers, Bluestone seems to be polishing more than just jewellery this year. Bluestone Jewellery and Lifestyle Limited reported a sharp turnaround in FY26, with revenue from operations rising to Rs 2,436 crore (Rs 24,364 million), up from Rs 1,770 crore (Rs 17,700 million) in FY25. The company posted a full-year profit of Rs 13 crore (Rs 131.79 million), a significant recovery from a loss of Rs 222 crore (Rs 2,218 million) a year ago.
Total income for the year stood at Rs 2,486 crore (Rs 24,860 million), compared to Rs 1,830 crore (Rs 18,300 million) in the previous year, reflecting both topline growth and improved operational momentum.
The March quarter, however, told a more nuanced story. Revenue from operations came in at Rs 681 crore (Rs 6,814 million), down from Rs 748 crore (Rs 7,486 million) in the year-ago period, though higher than Rs 461 crore (Rs 4,613 million) in the preceding December quarter. Net profit for Q4 stood at Rs 31 crore (Rs 311.81 million), compared to Rs 68 crore (Rs 688 million) a year earlier, but a clear reversal from a loss of Rs 51 crore (Rs 512 million) in Q3.
Margins were shaped by higher input costs, with raw material consumption rising to Rs 2,204 crore (Rs 22,043 million) for the full year, alongside employee benefit expenses of Rs 282 crore (Rs 2,824 million) and finance costs of Rs 210 crore (Rs 2,104 million). Other expenses came in at Rs 371 crore (Rs 3,715 million), slightly lower than Rs 393 crore (Rs 3,938 million) in FY25.
On the balance sheet front, total assets expanded to Rs 4,961 crore (Rs 49,610 million) as of March 31, 2026, from Rs 3,532 crore (Rs 35,322 million) a year earlier, driven largely by a surge in inventories to Rs 2,672 crore (Rs 26,718 million). Equity also strengthened to Rs 1,803 crore (Rs 18,030 million), nearly doubling from Rs 911 crore (Rs 9,107 million).
Cash flows reflected the cost of growth. Net cash used in operating activities stood at Rs 199 crore (Rs 1,990 million), while investing activities saw an outflow of Rs 239 crore (Rs 2,392 million). Financing activities, however, generated Rs 497 crore (Rs 4,971 million), helping the company end the year with cash and cash equivalents of Rs 108 crore (Rs 1,075 million), up from Rs 49 crore (Rs 487 million).
Earnings per share for FY26 came in at Rs 1.10, a sharp improvement from a negative Rs 79.74 in FY25, underlining the shift from losses to profitability.
With revenue scaling up, costs still glittering on the higher side, and profitability finally back in the black, BlueStone’s FY26 performance suggests a business mid-transition less about shine alone, and more about sustaining it.
