MAM
IPL hits Hindi GECs hard, knocks off 110 GRPs
MUMBAI: The Indian Premier League (IPL) has come back to haunt the Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) again as the cricketing extravaganza has shaved off 110 GRPs from the Hindi GECs in the week ended 6 April.
The genre has seen a greater loss this year as compared to last year when it lost 51 GRPs in the opening week of the tournament.
According to ZenithOptimedia managing partner Navin Khemka the IPL matches this year are more interesting and hence are attracting more viewers. “IPL this season has gained at the cost of Hindi GECs. This year has seen considerable increase in the viewership as the quality of the matches have improved.”
When asked if Hindi GECs were not prepared for IPL, Khemka averred, “If the matches are more interesting and are doing well, I don‘t think Hindi GECs can do much to retain their audiences.”
The week saw a shuffle in the ranking of top four Hindi general entertainment channels as Sony Entertainment Television (Set) went past Colors adding an extra eight GRPs to occupy the third spot on the Hindi GEC hierarchy.
As per TAM data (HSM including 5 new LC1 markets, C&S, 4+) sourced from a channel, Star Plus continued to maintain its leadership position. The broadcast of Salman Khan-starrer Dabangg 2 on 31 March notched up 4.9 TVR. The channel lost seven GRPs to clock 284 GRPs.
Star Plus had also launched a new dance reality show titled ‘Nach Baliye Shriman vs Shrimati‘, an extention of Nach Baliye, that debuted with 2.3 TVR on 6 April.
Following Star Plus is Zee TV that lost 22 GRPs to register 185 GRPs. All the shows of the channel have seen loss in viewership.
Meanwhile, despite the loss of 11 GRPs, Set managed to move a step ahead, displacing Colors at No. 3. Its crime-based properties Adaalat ( 1.2 TVR), CID ( 2.2 TVR) and Crime Patrol (2 TVR) continue to drive majority of the audience for the channel that closed the week with 164 GRPs (last week 175).
Colors lost the most this week as it lived without a single 3+ TVR show. All the shows of the channels have seen drop in numbers. The channel had earned a few points last week as it had aired Femina Miss India 2013 on 24 March. For the week under review, Colors lost 35 GRPs to record 156 GRPs.
Set‘s sister Hindi GEC Sab maintained its grip at the No. 5 spot despite losing more audience than Star Plus‘ second rung Hindi GEC Life OK. Sab lost 22 GRPs to end the week with 137 GRPs, while Life OK ended the week with 110 GRPs (last week 119).
Sahara One with 18 GRPs (last week 22) stood at the bottom of the ladder.
MAM
Sleepwell unveils nationwide sleep study on World Sleep Day
79 per cent use screens before bed, 36 per cent of 18–25-year-olds sleep ≤5 hours.
MUMBAI: Sleepwell just dropped the pillow truth bomb because when India’s sleeping less and scrolling more, even the mattress wants to stage an intervention. On World Sleep Day 2026, Sleepwell released its nationwide Sleep Study, painting a stark picture of India’s escalating sleep crisis. The findings show that 79% of Indians use screens right before bed, fuelling restless nights and drowsy days. Alarmingly, 36% of young adults aged 18–25 sleep five hours or less making them the country’s most sleep-deprived group.
The study also busts the myth of “catch-up sleep”, 65% of respondents actually sleep even later on weekends, pointing to increasingly irregular patterns that spill fatigue into the working week. Mattress discomfort emerged as a frequently overlooked culprit behind late-night wake-ups and constant leak-anxiety checks.
To drive the message home, Sleepwell’s CMO Puneet Gulati appeared on Zee Business, stressing that quality sleep isn’t a luxury, it’s foundational health. He highlighted how the right mattress can transform restless nights into restorative ones.
The brand doubled down with clever late-night activations, partnering with a quick-commerce platform to serve contextual ads between 11 pm and 3 am, gently nudging bleary-eyed scrollers to consider mattress discomfort as the reason they’re still awake and pointing them to the nearest Sleepwell store. Digital influencers and creators also shared relatable stories of how poor sleep fuels impulsive late-night behaviour.
In a nation that celebrates hustle but quietly pays for it in lost rest, Sleepwell isn’t just selling mattresses, it’s selling the radical idea that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is close your eyes and actually sleep well.
