Cable TV
I&B ministry might be liberal on anti-smoking ban
NEW DELHI: Information and broadcasting ministry is now in two minds — to support fully or not — over a proposed ban from 2 October on depiction of smoking in cinema and on television as being pushed by the health ministry.
Information and broadcasting minister Jaipal Reddy, while coming out in support of “creative freedom,” today hinted that the government is “not averse” to be more liberal when examining whether smoking scenes could be allowed in films and TV serials in future.
“Since after the ban, depiction of smoking on screen is to be judged on a case by case basis, the (I&B) ministry is not averse to extend the grounds on which such scenes could be incorporated,” the minister explained.
In a move, which has been widely criticized as infringement of freedom of (creative) expression, the health ministry has proposed that from October smoking cannot be depicted in any way in films and TV programmes.
In a bizarre move — that has been watered down since then — health ministry had also said during scenes showing people smoking in old films and TV serials, scrollers ought to be running at the bottom stating that `cigarette smoking is injurious to health.’
Reddy, however, had a difficult time in defending how such a ban could be extended to films not made in India, but exhibited widely in theatres here.
Cornered by journalists today on the issue, Reddy first gave a wishy-washy explanation before resuming his composure and saying that foreign films , having scenes of people smoking, would be subject to censorship when getting a Censor Board certificate for exhibition in India.
“We cannot tell them (foreign film-makers) not to have scenes of smoking in films. But, after all, such films would have to obtain certificates from the Censor Board here before getting clearance for exhibiting them in cinema halls,” the minister said when accused of not providing a level playing field to Indian cinema.
He also added that it would be the responsibility of Indian distributors of foreign films and exhibitors to ensure that messages relating to ill-effects of smoking are prominently displayed before and after any foreign film where smoking has been depicted.
However, the anti-smoking ban will not be extended to live events being aired on TV for technical reasons and on old classics and social documentaries being made in future.
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.
