GECs
Hungama suspends private equity plans
MUMBAI: Hungama TV has defered its plans for private placement of equity as it has substantially closed its funding requirements of Rs 622 million.
Hungama TV has put together Rs 520 million through equity and debt. UTV has already invested Rs 100 million from the proceeds of the stake sale in Vijay TV to Star Group in August 2004 and is expected to invest another Rs 100 million from its initial public offering (IPO). UTV’s investment of Rs 200 million is bifurcated between investment into equity and convertible preferential shares.
Promoter Ronnie Screwvala is investing Rs 98.5 million, representing his share of equity participation in Hungama TV. His holding in the kids channel is 51 per cent while 49 per cent is with UTV, a company of which he is the founder-promoter.
Hungama TV has got approval for a fresh debt of Rs 120 million, in addition to Rs 100 million raised from UTI Bank. With this, Hungama TV has tied up a funding of Rs 520 million.
There is, thus, no need in the near future to find an equity investor. The mandate to Lazard for the private placement has expired and no fresh arrangement has been struck to revive talks with private equity investors.
“Since the funding requirement is substantially closed, we have deferred our efforts on inviting private equity in Hungama TV. The earlier mandate given to Lazard is not pursued by us anymore. We will at the appropriate time start the process of inviting private equity investment, depending on the future requirements of Hungama TV,” informs D’Mello.
Screwvala had earlier stated that a part of the equity stake in the kids channel would be offered to investors through a private placement. But after the sale of Vijay TV and with plans to float an IPO in February, Screwvala has decided to wait for Hungama TV to mature before diluting stake in the channel. The kids channel was launched in September 2004.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
