News Broadcasting
Dubai crowds make a fashion statement
DUBAI: Dubai seems to be virtually always on fashion parade mode. If the Zee cine awards was anything to go by.
Forget the plunging necklines, rising hemlines, glimpses of thongs too. The latest and the best in trends were on display at the award show and, later, at the post-event party at a five-star hotel where the discotheque played popular songs from Kal Ho Na Ho. But not sported by the stars. The trendy and hip were Dubai residents and tourists who let their down – and with a vengeance.
Contrary to their Hollywood counterparts, Bollywood stars generally dress demurely for such award shows. Imagine mast mast girl Urmila Matondkar in a conservative dress compared to the skimpy clothes she has sported in umpteen films. No wonder she also got an award for a film, Bhoot, which was far removed from the glamorous roles that one is accustomed to seeing her in.
Sush Sen may have swayed to funky beats in Fiza revealing her navel and curvaceous figure, but in Dubai, she covered up for the show. Ditto for Esha Deol. Probably, the presence of papa Dharam, who still looks garam, compelled Esha to dress conservatively.
But living up to their image of sexy sirens were Shilpa Shetty and Katrina Kaif, the second host of the award evening. Shilpas neckline plunged just enough to fire up imagination and Katrinas black figure hugging western outfit played up her figure, which seemed to have lost a few kilos here and
there.
As one guest pointed out, Love (referring to Kaifs reported romance with Salman) seems to have knocked off some weight off Katrina.
The gent men from Bollywood preferred, mostly, formal suits, except Karan Johar, who sees to be reveling in translucent shirts these days.
But an average Dubai denizen dressed more trendily than the stars and the disco was a testimony of it. Even as a couple of belly dancers swayed, people got into the mood to swing along with the likes of Arshad Warsis, Maria Gorettis, Sonu Nigams and Shaans.
News Broadcasting
Network18 posts Rs 1,955 crore revenue, narrows FY26 losses
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.
