GECs
EndemolShine India to produce Miss World Festival 2024
Mumbai: In an exciting development for the global entertainment industry, the Miss World Organization has officially appointed EndemolShine India as the producer for the upcoming 71st Miss World Festival, a global extravaganza that will be streamed and telecast across the world. This marks a significant milestone as the prestigious event returns to India after 28 years, promising a grand celebration of female achievement and women’s empowerment. Branding, sponsorships, and media buying for the festival will be managed by Adsplash Media Pvt Ltd.
Commenting on the development, Banijay Asia & EndemolShine India group COO Rishi Negi said, “Getting the production mandate for Miss World 2024 is a testament to our leadership and excellence in large-scale event production. This opportunity allows us to bring our expertise to one of the most celebrated global events, right here in India.” Elsewhere in the Banijay footprint, Miss France was produced, by the company of the same name, for TF1, where it was the second most viewed unscripted show in the country last year.
Chairman and CEO of the Miss World Organisation, Julia Evelyn Morley CBE, expressed her excitement, stating, ” “Returning to India, a country that I adore, and inviting 120 National winners to experience the beauty of this nation is a tremendous honour. We will be bringing the world to India and showcasing India to the world.”
Scheduled to take place between 18 February and 9 March 2024 the festival will be hosted across several spectacular venues, including the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi and the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. The series of events will kick off with “The Opening Ceremony” and “India Welcomes the World Gala” on February 20th, hosted by the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) at the stunning Hotel Ashok in New Delhi. The festival will culminate with the dazzling 71st Miss World global finale at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai on 9 March.
This monumental event, renowned for propelling the profiles of eminent personalities like Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, and Manushi Chillar, has been pivotal in enhancing India’s stature on the global stage. The Miss World pageant, established in 1951, extends beyond traditional beauty contests, fostering a new paradigm focused on empowering women through humanitarian service.
The 71st Miss World Festival will feature various competitions and charitable initiatives, emphasizing the qualities that make these young women ambassadors of change. Each contestant will have their own media channel on the MissWorld.com platform, allowing them to showcase why they should advance to the Top 20 finalists.
Vikas Lifecare Jamil Saidi strategic partner MW added “I’m delighted that my efforts to bring the 71st Miss World to India have been made a reality by the brilliant Miss World team. Miss World and Endemol are ideal event partners and will help showcase our country’s beauty to the whole world”
The key competitions and milestones during the festival comprise:
• World Top Designer Award & Miss World Top Model – Mumbai
• Miss World Sport Challenge – New Delhi
• Miss World Talent Final- Mumbai
• Multi Media Challenge- Mumbai
• Head To Head Challenge Final– The Summit Room Bharat Mandapam – New Delhi 23 February
• Continental Beauty With A Purpose Challenge- Plenary Hall Bharat Mandapam – New Delhi 21 February
• Miss World Red Carpet Special Jio World Convention Centre. Mumbai
• 71st Miss World Final Global Telecast Live 7:30-10:30 Saturday, 9 March – Jio World Convention Centre. Mumbai
Adsplash Media founder and director Karan Sethi expressed his gratitude for the opportunity and commented, “It’s an honour to be associated with one of the most prestigious global events. We look forward to working closely with the Miss World Organization to unlock value for our brands and customers.”
Miss World Organization in India advisor Munish Gupta highlighted the event’s role in showcasing India’s rich cultural heritage, arts, crafts, and more to a global audience
“Hosting 120 global contestants to experience the beauty and diverse culture of this great nation, is indeed a tremendous honour. “
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.
