Cable TV
Filmy launches its gaming property ‘Filmy Stock Exchange’
MUMBAI: For those who love to play the stock exchanges and are fascinated by Bollywood, Sahara’s Hindi movie channel Filmy has launched Filmy Stock Exchange.
Beginning 1 October, this game will be played through the internet and mobile and it will give Bollywood fans across India an opportunity to “own” their favourite stars by trading for them. It could be anybody from Sharukh Khan to Aishwarya Rai.
Actor Arshad Warsi is the brand ambassador for this new show. “The idea of FSE is fascinating. The younger audience will be able to connect with it very well. There can’t be a more engaging way of learning the workings of the stock exchange. It’s simple and fun to play.”
Registered users will initially get 1000 Filmy Rs (FRs) to create their portfolio of stars. The stock prices of each star will change every hour on the basis of their box office performance, trading trends, industry news and gossip. And in the process players can redeem their filmy Rs for big, exciting prizes.
Talking about the game, Sahara One Media And Entertainment Limited CEO Shantonu Aditya says, “In today’s media scenario, interactivity and convergence are key to a brand’s growth. FSE is a cutting-edge initiative to take the channel’s brand proposition forward.”
“It’s a one stop destination for all film buffs if one plays intelligently. And moreover there are prizes every week. We are in the process of tying up with brands for the prizes,” adds Aditya.
The publicity campaign for the show will begin soon with 30 or 60 second teasers. It will also give the viewers an insight into how to play the game. Once FSE kicks off the channel is planning collaborations with radio stations and trade magazines.
Filmy business head Ashutosh says, “This is an absolutely new concept. In a way it will be a parameter for the players to check out where their icons stand. It’s just not an engaging property for our viewers, it’s a good brand for our advertisers to associate with. It’s a multimedia property in the true sense of the term.”
“The response from the film fraternity has also been exciting. There will be 30 stars at the end of every month. And by the end of each month, around three stars will go out and more will be added on the show,” added Shailesh Kapoor, head of marketing and content.
Cable TV
Hathway Cable appoints Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as CEO
Leadership change comes as cable TV faces shrinking subscriber base and modest earnings pressure
MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom has tapped industry veteran Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as chief executive officer, marking a leadership pivot at a time when India’s cable television business is under mounting strain.
Kapoor will take over from Tavinderjit Singh Panesar, who is set to retire in August after a long innings with the company. Panesar, chief executive since 2023, has held multiple leadership roles at Hathway, including his latest stint beginning in 2022.
Kapoor brings more than three decades of experience in media and entertainment. He most recently led distribution at The Walt Disney Company’s Star India business, now part of JioStar. His career spans television distribution and affiliate partnerships, with stints at Sony Pictures Networks India, Discovery Communications and Zee Entertainment.
Panesar, with over three decades in the industry, has worked across strategic planning, distribution and business development in media, broadcasting and manufacturing. His past associations include ESPN Star Sports, Star India, Apollo Tyres and JK Industries.
The transition lands as the cable sector grapples with structural disruption. Traditional operators are losing ground to streaming platforms, while telecom and broadband players tighten the squeeze with bundled offerings.
An EY report estimates India’s pay-TV base could shrink by a further 30 to 40 million households by 2030, taking the total down to 71 to 81 million. The slide follows a loss of nearly 40 million homes between 2018 and 2024, a contraction that has already wiped out more than 37,000 jobs in the local cable operator ecosystem.
Hathway’s numbers reflect the strain. The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 93 crore for FY25, down from Rs 99 crore a year earlier. Revenue inched up to Rs 2,040 crore from Rs 1,981 crore. As of December 2025, it had about 4.7 million cable TV subscribers and roughly 1.02 million broadband users.
Kapoor steps in with a familiar brief but a shrinking playbook. In a market where viewers are cutting cords faster than companies can reinvent them, the new chief executive inherits a business fighting to stay plugged in.
