GECs
Colors explores Punjabis’ Canada dreams with new show Udaariyaan
MUMBAI: Colors is all set for an action-packed 2021.The beginning of the year witnessed the finale of its successful nonfiction property Bigg Boss. Post the conclusion of its tentpole programme, the channel has strengthened its weekend slot with the launch of dance reality show Dance Deewane Season 3. New fiction serial Bawara Dil, an adaptation of Colors Marathi’s ongoing popular show Jeev Zala Yeda Pisa, soon followed to shore up its primetime line-up.
Now, the channel is gearing up for the premiere of yet another fiction show, Udaariyaan – a story of hope, love, aspiration, and dreams. Udaariyaan is powered by Colgate and Suhana Masala and will hit the airwaves on 15 March and will air Monday – Saturday at 7 pm. The show is produced by television’s power couple Ravi Dubey and Sargun Mehta under the banner of Dreamiyata Entertainment and marks their first foray into creating a Hindi GEC show.
Udaariyaan is about the journey of the Sandhu family, who lead their lives in the heartland of Punjab, and nurse the dream of moving to Canada. The Sandhus’ unfulfilled dream from generations now lies in the hands of their daughters. The two protagonists of the show, Tejo (Priyanka Choudhary) and Jasmine (Isha Malviya) are like chalk and cheese. While the elder one Tejo is deeply rooted in her Punjabi culture and wants to be a professor one day, Jasmine feels like she belongs elsewhere. She is determined, strong-willed and will make destiny bend to her will. Fiercely ambitious, all that Jasmine wants is to move to Canada and will only marry someone who makes this dream a reality for her. This blazing ambition on Jasmine’s part affects the dynamics of the Sandhu family and eventually shapes their destiny. Enter Fateh (Ankit Gupta), an absolute romantic who is head over heels in love with Jasmine but does not know how to convey his feelings to her. As Tejo, Jasmine and Fateh’s lives become intertwined, so begins their journey of achieving their dreams. It remains to be seen how Jasmine’s dreams pan out and what happens when Tejo gets stuck in the middle of Jasmine and Fateh’s ambitions.
Viacom18 Hindi Mass Entertainment and Kids TV Network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “At Colors, we always strive to create memorable and relatable stories to provide our audience wholesome entertainment. With a strong line-up of fiction and non-fiction shows across genres, we continue to provide premium variety content and the next endeavour in this direction is our new show Udaariyaan. The Punjabi flavour, the relatable characters and the reflection of Indian dreams will certainly enthral the viewers.”
Dreamiyata Entertainment producer Sargun Mehta shared that after a successful innings as actors, she and Ravi are thrilled to give flight to their little dream of turning producers and the couple couldn’t have asked for a better show than Udaariyan to make that into a reality.
"It is a very special feeling as we have been putting our heart and soul into this project for months and it is finally coming to fruition. We have worked very hard to create some really amazing characters and are now glad that the viewers will get to witness them,” said Mehta.
Dubey, on his part, loves collaborating with his wife, but finding talent to work with is a big challenge that he faces as a producer. In an interaction with a news portal, he mentioned, “I think getting a great team together is the only big challenge. When you know that you have the best people doing their respective jobs, then it takes a lot of loads away from your shoulders. The right kind of director, the right script, the right writers are crucial to churn out good content."
When asked if he feels that being both an actor and a producer puts him under tremendous pressure, he quipped, “The responsibility of an actor and a producer is similar. I want to give people the right content to live by. It’s not just about making aspirational stuff, it’s also about what you project to people and how you do it. Of course, the responsibility on our shoulders in order to do this has increased but we know that this will help us grow.”
The couple is eager to experiment with various formats and modes of content delivery. First on the agenda is making more content in Hindi and Punjabi. Whether it is OTT, television or movies, the duo wants to focus on giving viewers the content that will engage them.
Colors has designed the show’s campaign hinged on the well-known phenomenon of Punjab’s love for Canada and the aspiration of people from the region to migrate there. In an attempt to uniquely introduce the three lead characters – Tejo, Jasmine and Fateh – in an entertaining musical way, the channel has roped in rap maestro Badshah for a music video. Featuring him alongside the cast of the show, the music video has garnered eight million views across digital platforms. The channel has also planned a nine-day TV campaign across Hindi news, Hindi movies, Hindi music, kids and regional genres. A special focus is being put on the Badshah‘s music video as a part of the TV plan to give people a flavour of Punjab, and a sneak peek into the fun aspects of the show.
Additionally, for the true fans and members of Colors’ Golden Petal Club, a special digital event is planned on launch day showcasing the show’s cast and some behind the scene moments from the sets of Punjab. On the digital front, along with influencer outreach, a three-part video series will also be showcased which will include testimonial stories of real people and their dreams.
The channel already has a show named Chhoti Sarrdaarni which is also set against the backdrop of Punjab, it would be interesting to see how audiences react to Udaariyaan.
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.
