GECs
FM ignores entertainment sector in budget
NEW DELHI / MUMBAI: It was the royal ignore for the second year in a row for the entertainment sector. Finance minister P Chidambaram, while presenting Union Budget 2005-2006 in Parliament today, had practically nothing to offer the industry.
The only mention made in the budget to the media sector as a whole was the announcement of reduction in customs duty for printing press equipment.
The Finance Minister announced that credit for counterveiling duty (CVD) will be available against payment of excise duty. However, IT software is proposed to be exempt from the proposed CVD.
Noting that the services sector accounts for about 52 per cent of the GDP, the FM expressed the necessity to cast the net wide and to include some additional services in the service tax net, while retaining the 10 per cent service tax limit.
This means that cable ops and the cable industry would continue to be taxed, which, of course, is being passed on to consumers.
However, as a relief to small service providers, Chidambaram proposed to exempt from service tax those service providers whose gross turnover does not exceed Rs 400,000 per year.
Multiplexes under service tax net
One area where the budget has dealt a negative blow is to the booming multiplex industry (in which players like Zee Telefilms, Adlabs and Shringar two name just three are major players). Multiplexes have been brought under the service tax net.
Says E-City (Zee Group CMD Subhash Chandra’s multiplex intitiative) CEO Atul Goel, “The multiplex business will be adversely affected as construction activities have comer under the service tax ambit. Besides, we had sought certain concessions, which the budget is silent about.”
A visibly disappointed Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) additional director entertainment Siddhatha Dasgupta commented, “While all the other other sectors have got something or the other, the budget has nothing to offer the entertainment industry.”
GECs
Sony PAL to air Sankat Mochan Hanuman from May 4 at 9 PM
Mythological series brings Lord Hanuman’s tale of devotion and courage back to TV
MUMBAI: Sony PAL is set to bring back the timeless mythological series Sankat Mochan Hanuman, with its premiere scheduled for May 4 at 9 PM. The show revisits the legendary journey of Lord Hanuman, offering viewers a chance to reconnect with one of Indian mythology’s most revered figures.
Centred on themes of devotion, courage and righteousness, the series traces Hanuman’s unwavering loyalty to Lord Ram and his fearless stand against evil. With its mix of dramatic storytelling and visually rich sequences, the show aims to deliver both entertainment and spiritual resonance, appealing to audiences across age groups.
The narrative unfolds as a larger-than-life saga, positioning Hanuman as the ultimate protector and a symbol of strength and selfless service. His journey, rooted in faith and duty, continues to strike a chord with viewers, making the series as relevant today as ever.
The cast features Gagan Malik as Lord Ram, Debalina Chatterjee as Sita, Nirbhay Wadhwa in the titular role, and Saurav Gurjar as Raavan. Their performances bring depth and authenticity to characters deeply embedded in Indian cultural memory.
With its return to television, the show is positioned as more than just a rerun. It taps into a renewed appetite for mythological storytelling, blending nostalgia with timeless values.
As audiences increasingly seek content that resonates beyond entertainment, ‘Sankat Mochan Hanuman’ offers a familiar yet powerful narrative, reminding viewers that stories of faith and courage never really go out of style.
