News Broadcasting
Balaji Telefilms takes co-production route for films; plans to enter distribution
MUMBAI: Balaji Telefilms Ltd. is venturing into co-production deals as part of a strategy to de-risk its movie business.
The leading TV content company has tied up with White Feather Films, a company started by Sanjay Dutt and Sanjay Gupta, for producing Shoot Out at Lokhandwala at Rs 120 million which is expected to release by March-end or the first quarter of the next financial year.
Two other movies are planned which will be co-produced and released only in FY08. Balaji is in talks with several producers including Neeraj Vohra. “By co-producing, we will be limiting our risk. Besides, the partner will bring in its filmmaking expertise,” says a source in the company.
Balaji is also planning to foray into film distribution. The company may take the territory of Mumbai for distributing Shoot Out at Lokhandwala.
“The movie with Gupta is estimated to cost Rs 120 million and will have a multi-star cast. We are part-financing this film. We have plans for two other co-produced movies but the budgets are yet to be finalised,” the source says.
Balaji Telefilms produced two films in the last fiscal and raked in a revenue of Rs 104 million, incurring a minor loss. While Kya Kool Hai Hum was a success, the second film Koi Aap Sa didn’t fare well in the box office.
The company is adopting a cautious approach and will not be releasing any movie this year. “We expect Shoot Out at Lokhandwala to happen only next year,” says the source.
Balaji Telefilms saw a robust growth in FY06 with topline increasing 43 per cent to Rs 2.8 billion. Net profit rose 44 per cent to Rs 594 million on the back of a rate revision from Star and an increase in programming hours.
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
