GECs
&TV acquires ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ rights; Endemol to produce
MUMBAI: Even as Indian television has seen dance reality shows galore like Dance India Dance, Nach Baliye and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa amongst others on Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs), another new dance reality show format is all set to hit screens in the near future.
Zee Entertainment Enterprises’ Hindi GEC &TV has acquired the rights of the global dance reality format show So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) from Dick Clark Productions.
Endemol Shine India will produce the India edition of the reality show for the channel.
Dancers from across the country – amateur or professional – can participate in the show. &TV has already started the online registration process. However, the channel has not yet made any official comment on the air date and time.
SYTYCD India will also see the country’s best choreographers as jury members on the show.
The original show was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe is produced by Core Media Group’s 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions.
In the US, SYTYCD was recently renewed by Fox for a 13th season, which is slated to go on air on 30 May.
GECs
Sebi sends show-cause notice to Zee over fund diversion, company responds
Regulator questions 2018 letter of comfort and governance lapses; company vows robust legal response
MUMBAI: India’s markets watchdog has reignited its long-running scrutiny of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, issuing a sweeping show-cause notice that drags the broadcaster and 84 others into a widening governance storm.
The notice, dated February 12, has been served by the Securities and Exchange Board of India to Zee, chairman emeritus Subhash Chandra and managing director and chief executive Punit Goenka, among others. At its heart: allegations that company funds were indirectly routed to settle liabilities of entities linked to the Essel Group.
The regulator’s probe traces its roots to November 2019, when two independent directors resigned from Zee’s board, flagging concerns over the alleged appropriation of fixed deposits by Yes Bank. The deposits were reportedly adjusted against loans extended to Essel Group entities, triggering questions about related-party dealings and board oversight.
A key flashpoint is a letter of comfort dated September 4, 2018, issued by Subhash Chandra in his dual capacity as chairman of Zee and the Essel Group. The document, linked to credit facilities availed by certain group companies from Yes Bank, was allegedly known only to select members of management and not disclosed to the full board—an omission SEBI believes raises red flags over transparency and governance controls.
Zee has pushed back hard. In a statement, the company said it “strongly refutes” the allegations against it and its board members and will file a detailed response. It expressed confidence that SEBI would conduct a fair review and signalled readiness to pursue all legal remedies to protect shareholder interests.
The notice marks the latest twist in a saga that has shadowed the broadcaster since 2019. What began as boardroom unease has morphed into a full-blown regulatory confrontation. The final reckoning now rests with SEBI—but the reputational stakes for Zee, and the message for India Inc on governance discipline, could scarcely be higher.
