Fiction
Bodhitree announces rights issue even as Ashok Ma.Ma hits 100 episodes on Colors Marathi
MUMBAI: Even as its heartwarming family drama Ashok Ma.Ma. notches up 100 episodes on Colors Marathi, producer Bodhitree Multimedia has announced plans to fatten its coffers through a Rs 4,443 lakh rights issue opening next month.
The popular Marathi show, which stars veteran actor Ashok Saraf as a disciplined retiree thrust into guardianship of his three grandchildren after a family tragedy, has captivated audiences with its emotional journey from strict grandfather to doting “Ma.Ma.” (grandpa).
“At Bodhitree Multimedia, we have always believed in telling stories that create impact and build human emotions,” gushed Mautik Tolia, founder and managing director of the production house, seemingly oblivious to the fact that most stories do precisely that.
While celebrating the milestone, Bodhitree is also looking to beef up its balance sheet. The company’s rights issue committee yesterday approved a record date of March 24 for its forthcoming cash call, which will see eligible shareholders offered four new shares for every nine currently held.
The Rs 8 per share offer opens on April 15 and closes on April 28, with the company seeking to issue 55,537,777 fresh equity shares. The move follows board approval last May for a rights issue worth up to Rs 4,500 lakh.
Back on screen, Ashok’s evolution from solitary disciplinarian to loving guardian has struck a chord with Marathi viewers. His initially frosty relationship with headstrong, wealthy Bhairavi (played by Rasika Wakharkar)—who starts as the children’s preferred guardian before unexpectedly becoming his daughter-in-law—provides the emotional heart of the show.
“Ashok is a multifaceted character, with his own set of complexities, emotions and layers,” noted Saraf with the kind of actorly insight that suggests he’s been reading his own press releases. “I feel immense pride in portraying a character who has connected so well with the viewers.”
Whether investors will feel similarly connected to Bodhitree’s forthcoming share offering remains to be seen. The company’s stock currently trades under the ticker BTML on the National Stock Exchange and 543767 on the Bombay Stock Exchange.
Fiction
Banijay merges with All3Media in $6.65 billion deal
Marco Bassetti will lead the combined company as CEO
PARIS: Six years after acquiring Endemol Shine at the height of the pandemic, Banijay has struck again. The European production heavyweight is merging with All3Media in a deal that will create a television titan with $6.65 billion in revenue and redraw the contours of a fast-consolidating market.
The combined company will trade under the Banijay name and be owned 50 per cent each by Banijay Group and RedBird IMI, which acquired All3Media in 2024. The transaction is expected to close by autumn, subject to regulatory approvals.
Banijay Entertainment CEO Marco Bassetti, will take the top job at the enlarged group. All3Media CEO Jane Turton becomes deputy CEO. RedBird IMI CEO Jeff Zucker will serve as chairman.
The logic is scale. Broadcasters are commissioning less, streamers are tightening budgets and global buyers are fewer but bigger. Against that backdrop, heft matters. The merged entity will generate roughly $6.65 billion in revenues based on 2024 figures, giving it sharper elbows in rights negotiations and deeper pockets for franchise-building.
“Entrepreneurialism, ambition and creativity” remain core to Banijay’s DNA, Bassetti said, flagging plans to invest more heavily in new intellectual property, live events and emerging platforms. Turton struck a similarly bullish note, pointing to All3Media’s journey from a 2003 start-up to a global supplier of hit formats and high-end drama.
Between them, the two groups control a formidable slate. Banijay’s catalogue spans MasterChef, Big Brother, Survivor, Black Mirror, Peaky Blinders and Deal or No Deal. All3Media’s labels include Studio Lambert, producer of The Traitors and Squid Game: The Challenge; Two Brothers, behind The Tourist; and Neal Street, currently producing the forthcoming Beatles biopics directed by Sam Mendes for Sony.
The back catalogue is equally muscular. Banijay Rights holds some 220,000 hours, while All3Media International adds around 35,000 hours, forming one of the industry’s largest libraries.
Banijay, controlled by French entrepreneur Stéphane Courbit and listed in Amsterdam, counts more than 130 production companies across 25 territories. All3Media operates over 40 labels, with strong positions in the UK, US and Germany. The enlarged group will also lean into live entertainment, building on Banijay’s Balich Wonder Studio, which produced the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, and the Independents.
The deal marks a shift in tone. As recently as October, Bassetti suggested that mergers and acquisitions were not a priority. But the drumbeat of consolidation has grown louder. Mediawan has moved for Peter Chernin’s North Road. David Ellison’s Paramount has agreed to a $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros, with plans to combine HBO Max and Paramount plus. ITV has explored selling its media and entertainment arm to Comcast-owned Sky, though talks have reportedly slowed.
