MAM
Fight surfaces for top position in Hindi GECs
MUMBAI: A fight for the top spot in the Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) hierarchy is finally surfacing. The gap between the top two positions has come the closest this year with Colors just 12 GRPs (gross rating points) away from Star Plus.
The last time the race got any closer was in the week ended 28 April when Sony Entertainment Television was 15 GRPs away.
The threat, however, has been brief so far and Star Plus has surged ahead each time there is any kind of challenge. So it will be interesting to observe what happens next week.
Colors‘ march in the week ended 23 June has come on the back of its celebrity dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa as it gained 24 GRPs compared to Star Plus‘ loss of 17 GRPs. The 9 pm weekend show, which runs for 90 minutes each episode, has 11 more weeks to help Colors reach the milestone.
Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa is Colors‘ third top-rated show, behind Balika Vadhu (4.4 TVR) and Sasural Simar Ka (3.3 TVR). It, however, is pertinent to mention here that the debut rating on Saturday of Jhalak… was 3.1 (captured in week ended 16 June), marginally more than the Sunday TVR of 3 and Saturday (2nd week for the show) TVR of 2.6. Still, Colors posted 239 GRPs compared to Star Plus‘ 251, according to TAM data provided by GEC‘s.
“We will have to see how much extra ratings Jhalak can bring. The early trend indicates that it would be around 3 TVR. So will that be enough to take Colors ahead of Star Plus? It is very difficult to predict but surely there is a note of caution for Star Plus,” says a media analyst.
For the Viacom18 channel, it has been a long wait. The last time Colors was ahead of Star Plus in the ratings race was in the week ended 7 April of 2011 when it reached 300 GRPs while Star Plus had clocked 261 GRPs. However, it couldn’t sustain the momentum and fell to number two. Later, the closest difference between Colors and Star Plus was eight GRPs in the week ended 11 June 2011 when it pocketed 239 GRPs.
Star Plus witnessed a drop in the ratings of its top-rated fiction shows like Saathiya Saath Nibhana, Iss Pyar ko Kya Nam Du, Ek Hazaro Me Meri Behna Hai, Diya Aur Bati Hum and Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai.
Meanwhile, Zee TV is holding on to its No 3 position with the addition of two GRPs. It has ended the week with 214 GRPs and its home-grown dancing reality show DID Li’l Masters fetched ratings of 3.6 on 17 June and 4.4 TVR on 23 June, up from preceding week‘s 2.8 TVR, and higher than Jhalak‘s.
Set, which had gone below 200-mark last week, added 13 GRPs to close the week with 201 GRPs.
Sab continued to be fifth on the Hindi GEC ladder, though it lost seven GRPs to end the week with 109 GRPs. With the loss of 9 GRPs, Life OK closed the week with 97 GRPs.
Sahara One maintained the status quo with 36 GRPs.
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
