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Filmmaker Chen Kaige on CNN’s ‘Talk Asia’
The next edition of CNN’s chat show Talk Asia from Beijing sees the show’s host Lorraine Hahn interviews one of China’s most renowned and influential filmmakers Chen Kaige. The internationally-acclaimed director, best known for such movies as The Emperor and the Assassin and the award-winning Farewell My Concubine, discusses his latest project The Promise.
The show airs on 25 June at 8:30 am, 8 om, 10:30 pm and on 26 June at 4 pm and at 8:30 pm. Kaige says, “It’s a very significant film for me because I got a so-called Asian cast; we have a Japanese, a very famous actor named Sanada and Korean one named Dong-kun Jang and also the actors and actresses from Hong Kong as well.
“It is a love story and we have very strong entertainment elements for sure and including the kung fu stuff. I hope at the end of the day people will say, ‘So it’s great entertainment film but we also find some meanings in the film.’ That’s what I want.”
During the half-hour interview, Chen continues to chat about his inspirations, his life as a member of the famous fifth generation of filmmakers, and growing up during the Cultural Revolution in China. When asked if he considers himself a political filmmaker, he replies, “I’m not political at all but as you know that I grew up in a very, very political period of time which is the Cultural Revolution…yes, we are artists, we want to show people our piece, but at the same time we think it’s very important for us to make our points in our movies.”
Additionally, Chen talks about the challenges of being a filmmaker in China, and where he thinks the Chinese film industry is heading.
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Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
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.
