MAM
Lockdown gave time to reconnect with friends & family: SPPL’s Avneet Singh Marwah
NEW DELHI: There is no denying that the lockdown has taken a toll on everyone, but it has also taught people how to reconnect with family and friends. For SPPL CEO Avneet Singh Marwah, this lockdown has helped him become more self-dependent and spend quality time with his family.
Indiantelevision.com got candid with Marwah about what keeps him going during these difficult times, his favourite TV show and more.
Excerpts:
During the lockdown, how are you keeping yourself optimistic? Is it a new hobby that you have explored?
I became more self-dependent during the lockdown. Earlier, I used to travel every third day and everything used to be taken care of for me. But for the first time in many years, I am back to actively contributing to household chores, from cleaning to washing dishes. I also enjoy cooking dinner for my family. I also found time to reconnect with friends, business colleagues and relatives—whose messages and phone calls I might have missed or ignored while I stayed busy. I have replied to so many DMs and spoken to a lot of people on social media as well, which is a refreshing change. The best habit I picked is dining with my family on a table with no phones or TV. It is great to spend time with them, blessed to be enjoying a meal together and sharing different experiences that we have missed in all these years.
Tell us about your favourite coffee moment?
It was actually in May when mother nature decided to grace us with a perfect morning rain shower that led to amazing weather. It was lush green outside my home as I was sitting in the balcony with my favourite cup of coffee working from home. It was the perfect moment. I don't think I can ever imagine this moment happening while working out of a closed-door office especially in Delhi.
What are you binge-watching on OTT?
Even though I rarely get time to binge-watch TV shows I thoroughly enjoyed binge-watching Money Heist and 100 humans.
Where do you wish to travel post the pandemic?
I'd consider myself lucky if I get a vacation after the lockdown since it will be back to back for me and thinking of time off is out of the question for now. But if I do get time maybe next year or so I'd pick more commercial places like London or New York as it's been a while since I have felt the energy of the crowd. For a more relaxing time, I'd choose Jamaica (Negril or Montego Bay).
How do you spend your me-time?
I don't really get much 'me-time' but whenever there is an opportunity to simply do nothing, I choose to spend that with my son and my family as I live with them so quality family time is always a must. Sometimes at night, I try to simply sit by myself and gather my thoughts which helps me restore my energy.
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NDTV FY26 loss widens to Rs 323 crore, revenue rises
Q4 loss at Rs 98 crore; FY revenue climbs to Rs 540 crore
MUMBAI: NDTV’s numbers tell a tale where the top line is tuning up but the bottom line is still off-key. New Delhi Television Ltd reported a wider consolidated net loss of Rs 323 crore for FY2025–26, compared to a loss of Rs 218 crore in the previous year, even as revenue showed a steady uptick. Total income for the year rose to Rs 540 crore, up from Rs 472 crore in FY25, driven by higher revenue from operations at Rs 528 crore versus Rs 465 crore a year earlier. However, rising costs across production, marketing and employee expenses weighed heavily on profitability.
For the March quarter, the company posted a net loss of Rs 98.6 crore, compared to Rs 61.9 crore in the same period last year. Quarterly revenue stood at Rs 150.5 crore, up from Rs 128.2 crore year-on-year.
Expenses continued to outpace income. Full-year consolidated expenses surged to Rs 855 crore from Rs 689 crore, led by production costs of Rs 251 crore, employee expenses of Rs 185 crore and marketing spends of Rs 243 crore.
Loss before tax for FY26 came in at Rs 320.7 crore, widening from Rs 217.1 crore in FY25, underscoring persistent margin pressure despite revenue growth.
On the balance sheet front, total assets stood at Rs 704 crore at the end of March 2026, while borrowings both current and non-current remained significant, reflecting ongoing capital and operational requirements.
Cash flow trends offered a mixed picture. While financing activities generated Rs 283.6 crore during the year, operating cash outflows remained substantial at Rs 257.9 crore, highlighting continued strain in core operations.
The performance suggests that while NDTV is managing to grow its revenue base, the cost of keeping the broadcast running and expanding continues to outweigh the gains. In a business where eyeballs are everything, profitability, for now, remains a work in progress.
