News Broadcasting
Big B in a candid interview on Aaj Tak’s ‘Seedhi Baat’
NEW DELHI: The doyen of Indian cinema Amitabh Bachchan comes face to face with Prabhu Chawla on the various facets of his life on Seedhi Baat on Sunday, 11 April at 9:30 pm.
In a candid interview to Aaj Tak, Amitabh Bachchan talks about his 30 years in the film industry, his stint with politics and his association with Amar Singh and Anil Ambani.
Commenting on his ‘overexposure’ on TV and films in the past two years, Amitabh Bachchan said that he was doing all this work to pay back the debts that had been incurred by his company. All the proceeds from these assignments were going to his company so that all the creditors who had stood by him may be able to fully recover their money.
When quizzed on his relationship with Amar Singh, Bachchan said that he was a personal friend and part of the family. Bachchan considers Singh his younger brother and they have shared a very good relationship.
Talking about his stint in politics, the Big B says that he was a failure in politics. He did not have the elements of a successful politician. He had entered politics in support of Rajiv Gandhi and the bereaved Gandhi family. Later, in parliament, he realized that this was a folly.
Confirming that he was no longer as close to the Gandhi family as he was during Rajiv Gandhi’s time, Bachchan said that they have closed the door on him and the onus of taking this relationship further rests with the Gandhi family.
According to Bachchan, there was no financial implication to his friendship with either Amar Singh or Anil Ambani. All three shared a very personal rapport and he has never taken any sort of financial help from either of them. Speaking about Abhishek, he said that though Abhishek was still to realize his position in film industry, but his time would come and he would make his mark in the industry.
Speaking on actors entering politics and canvassing for various political parties, Bachchan said that this was a matter of personal choice, but he himself had no intentions of either entering politics or canvassing for any candidate.
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.
