GECs
Agrani expects financial closure of satcom venture by year end
The Agrani satcom venture which is promoted by media baron Subhash Chandra is expected to close financially before the year is through, company officials say.
Agrani corporate communications manager Ashish Kaul is also confident of the Rs 1,150-crore satellite project reaching the Rs 690-crore debt-financing target. There are only a few procedures which have to be followed. French satellite major Alcatel Space Industries will supply Agrani with a satellite worth $170 million. The satellite, with a life-span of 14 years, has 24 ‘C’ band and 14 ‘ku’ band transponders. For this, it has to get the re-export license for which Alcatel has already made an application to the US Congress.
The license is needed because the components of the satellite which were made in the United States have to be re-exported here. Alcatel Spacecom will invest $15 million for a 9.75 per cent stake in Agrani Satellite Services Limited. Subhash Chandra and associates will hold a majority 51 per cent stake in the company.
The Foreign Investment Promotion Board has given permission to ASSL to offload upto 74 per cent equity through the FDI route.
Lenders for the project include IDBI and LIC. Agrani has received letters from them approving Rs 3.75 billion of loans, but the cash will be given at the time of the financial closure. In view of the Afghan conflict, however, it is difficult to estimate the time that Alacatel will take to get the license.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
