GECs
Horror weekends with Life OK
MUMBAI: The appeal of the evil is driving many. And cashing in on the growing popularity are the Indian television channels. After a series of crime-thrillers that have become immensely popular in the last few years, now the TV channels are experimenting with the horror genre.
While Sony launched its horror show, Bhoot Aaya a month and a half ago, now it’s Star Plus’s sister channel Life OK that is all set to give you sleepless nights with its new offering – Ringa Ringa Roses…Khauff Begins. The series is slated to go on air by early December at the 11:00 pm slot and will run for an hour every Saturday-Sunday according to a source from the channel.
The show is produced by Majid Azam’s Somersault Productions that also produced the first and second season of Zee TV’s Fear Files. According to the channel sources, the show is aimed at young men aged 15 and above and kids, who are really interested in the genre.
The story revolves around a father, who is a ghost detective and his daughter, who is kidnapped by Rose – the antagonist. The story moves forward as the father works to unravel the mystery of Rose, the ghost, to save his daughter.
The channel has dabbled in the horror genre earlier with a special 16-episode series – Ek Thi Naayika – during the release of the movie Ek Thi Daayan. Now, with this show, an official announcement for which will be made soon, the channel is again set to experiment with the genre.
Life OK has planned a 360-degree marketing activity for the show. “A lot of innovative marketing activities are being planned. At present, we are working on a ring tone (signature tune) for which we have roped in a Pune-based rock band, ‘Agnee’. We are going to have a lot of activities on social media and television as well. The promos of the show will be out in a day or two. This is the first time that we are doing a full-fledged horror series and we are pretty excited about it,” says the source.
While the channel plans to go overboard on the social media platforms to create the right buzz about the show, they don’t plan to create a separate page. The source says, “We are not going to launch any official page, especially for the show, on the social media sites. It is always integrated through the Life OK page.”
The show is going to have stiff competition with other horror shows on like Bhoot Aaya on Sony which airs every Sunday at 11:00 pm and Fear Files on Zee TV which airs on Saturday-Sunday from 10:30-11:30 pm.
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.
