iWorld
Airtel rings up big numbers but the bill is getting heavier
MUMBAI: When the phone keeps ringing, the challenge is not answering the call, it’s paying for it. Bharti Airtel’s consolidated results for the quarter ended December 31, 2025 show a business still growing at scale, but one increasingly weighed down by rising costs, taxes and balance-sheet pressures.
The telecom major reported consolidated revenue of Rs 53,982 crore for the December quarter, up from Rs 45,129 crore a year earlier, driven by steady growth in India mobile services and a sharp acceleration in Africa. For the nine months ended December 2025, revenue climbed to Rs 1,55,528 crore, compared with Rs 1,25,109 crore in the corresponding period last year.
Operating momentum, however, told a more nuanced story. Profit before depreciation, amortisation, finance costs and tax stood at Rs 23,199 crore in the quarter, while rising depreciation (Rs 13,420 crore) and finance costs (Rs 5,623 crore) continued to eat into the bottom line. Profit before tax for the quarter came in at Rs 12,301 crore, down from Rs 16,892 crore in the same quarter last year, reflecting the combined impact of higher costs and exceptional items.
After accounting for taxes of Rs 3,796 crore, Airtel posted a profit of Rs 8,503 crore for the quarter, compared with Rs 6,631 crore a year ago. For the nine-month period, profit after tax rose to Rs 27,696 crore, up from Rs 21,000 crore last year, aided by operational leverage and strong overseas performance.
Africa emerged as a standout engine. Mobile services Africa generated Rs 15,010 crore in quarterly revenue, up from Rs 10,703 crore a year earlier, while segment profit nearly doubled to Rs 5,070 crore, underscoring the region’s growing importance to Airtel’s overall growth narrative.
India mobile services remained the group’s largest contributor, clocking Rs 28,652 crore in revenue for the quarter, with segment profit of Rs 9,091 crore, supported by higher data usage and premium customer additions. Airtel Business delivered Rs 5,353 crore in revenue, while homes services broadband and DTH contributed Rs 2,001 crore, reflecting steady but slower expansion.
The balance sheet, though, shows the cost of scale. Total consolidated assets stood at Rs 5,29,406 crore as of December 31, 2025, while total liabilities were Rs 3,60,393 crore, keeping leverage firmly in focus. Finance costs for the nine-month period rose to Rs 14,839 crore, highlighting the ongoing burden of network investments and spectrum obligations.
Earnings per share for the December quarter stood at Rs 11.44, down from Rs 11.72 a year earlier, while nine-month EPS came in at Rs 33.42.
The takeaway is clear. Airtel is still dialling up growth especially beyond India but sustaining profitability is becoming a tougher call. As network investments, spectrum costs and taxes stack up, the next phase will test whether revenue growth can keep ringing louder than the costs chasing it.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
