GECs
Bullish Zee Smile(s) unveils shows, campaigns
MUMBAI: Presently, Zee Smile is sporting a grin. What has buoyed the fun and entertainment channel is some good news on the ratings front. The channel claims that its GRPs went as high as 44 in the first half of May.
Almost after a year of its launch, Zee Smile feels time is ripe to create some buzz with new shows and marketing initiatives now that connectivity issues have been sorted out.
According to Zee Smile business head Nitin Vaidya, “Connectivity issues are Zee Smile’s past, while new shows are the channel’s present. We are trying to make the future brighter.”
Whats more, Vaidya stresses on the channel’s positioning as a mass general entertainment channel. “We are getting more aggressive. This is not just a comedy channel anymore as Zee Smile is competing with mass general entertainment channels, he adds.
Apart from comedy soaps, Zee Smile will air game shows as well in a bid to entertain people in a positive way, minus tear-jerkers and other tensions that abound in serials on other channels.
That the time has come for Zee Smile to have some serious fun is apparent from what Zee Telefilms CEO Pradeep Guha told Indiantelevision.com last month. “Because of some connectivity issues, the channel wasn’t properly marketed. Since it has now scored something like 44 GRPs, we decided to end our silence and launch marketing initiatives,” he had said.
The marketing initiatives launched have taken care of the channel’s positioning as a feel-good channel for the fun-loving crowd.
The channel formed marketing tie-ups with Barista, which is essentially a youth hangout, and retail outlet major Big Bazaar to boost visibility. Colleges too are being targeted for on-ground events. The channel has also started advertising in theatres now.
Zee Smile kicked off its promotional campaign in early May. The first phase of the campaign projected Smile TV as various products such as pain reliever, beauty cream and energy drinks.
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The attempt was to position the channel as an alternative that can get rid of worries. The channel is being cross promoted on the network as well. Smile has also produced two brand films which are currently running across the network.
The second phase of the campaign relies mainly on the new launches. Within two months, the complete FPC of Zee Smile will undergo a change. The primetime line up will have fresh shows.
After acquiring popular Doordarshan shows, including Nukkad, Wagle ki Duniya and Wilayatee Babu, on board in April, the channel launched three new programmes in May. The channel will be launching three shows in each month of June and July.
Some of the shows Zee Smile recently launched include Fifty-Fifty, Home Sweet Home and Bechara Big B. An important property coming from the channel in June is the Ravi Rai-directed soap Haste Haste Kat Jaye Raaste.
GECs
Sahara One reports financial results, notes director exit and business realignment
Muted revenues, steady expenses and strategic adjustments shape company’s current phase
MUMBAI: In a tale where the sands seem to be slipping faster than they can be gathered, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited has reported another quarter of wafer-thin income and widening losses, even as a boardroom exit adds to the unease.
The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that its board, in a meeting held on April 4, approved its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The numbers paint a stark picture. Total income for the quarter stood at just Rs 0.13 lakh, unchanged sequentially and sharply down from Rs 0.26 lakh a year earlier.
Losses, meanwhile, deepened. The company posted a net loss of Rs 24.16 lakh for the quarter, compared to Rs 18.81 lakh in the June quarter and Rs 39.69 lakh in the same period last year. For the six months ended September 2025, the cumulative loss stood at Rs 39.69 lakh, while the full-year loss for FY25 was reported at Rs 60.72 lakh.
Expenses continued to outweigh income by a wide margin. Total expenses for the quarter came in at Rs 24.30 lakh, led by employee benefit costs of Rs 6.51 lakh and other expenses of Rs 17.78 lakh. Earnings per share remained in the red at Rs (0.11) for the quarter.
The balance sheet reflects a company with significant assets on paper but limited operational momentum. Total assets stood at Rs 23,065.57 lakh as of September 30, 2025, broadly unchanged from March 2025. Equity share capital remained steady at Rs 2,152.50 lakh, while total equity was reported at Rs 18,004.85 lakh.
Cash and cash equivalents saw a modest uptick to Rs 6.75 lakh from Rs 4.68 lakh earlier, supported by a positive operating cash flow of Rs 180.01 lakh for the period.
Yet, beneath these numbers lies a more complex narrative. The company’s auditors flagged their inability to obtain sufficient evidence to form a conclusion on the financial statements, citing lack of access to records. They also raised concerns over the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, pointing to insufficient funds, delayed recoveries, and stalled content investments.
Adding to the governance overhang, the company disclosed that Rana Zia has resigned as whole-time director, effective October 16, 2025, citing other professional commitments. The resignation, noted and accepted by the board, also brings an end to her role across company committees.
Regulatory pressures continue to loom large. The Securities and Exchange Board of India has already initiated penal actions for non-compliance with listing norms, with trading in the company’s shares remaining suspended. There is also a risk of promoter demat accounts being frozen.
Legacy legal issues remain unresolved. A substantial deposit of Rs 694,027.88 thousand linked to the long-running OFCD dispute involving Sahara group entities is still under the purview of the Supreme Court of India. Restrictions on asset disposal continue to weigh on the company’s financial flexibility.
Operationally, challenges persist across multiple fronts. Advances worth Rs 1,92,916 thousand given for film content remain stuck, with delays in project completion and uncertain recoverability. The company’s YouTube channel, despite being operational, has generated no revenue for over three years due to compliance lapses. In a further twist, management has indicated that revenues may have been fraudulently diverted through unauthorised changes to its AdSense account, with a police complaint in the works.
There are also missed revenue opportunities. Television content rights continue to be used by a related party despite the expiry of the licence agreement, with fresh negotiations still underway.
For now, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited appears caught between legacy disputes and present-day operational hurdles. As losses linger and governance questions mount, the road to recovery looks less like a sprint and more like a slow trudge through shifting sands.
