News Broadcasting
In-film placement in Indian movies scoffed at Frames
MUMBAI: The opening statement, “It’s a win-win situation for advertisers if they pitch in their products in films,” set the tone of the session: ‘Untapping Opportunities between Movies and Marketing.’ The point that came forth was that brand placements are surprisingly far lesser than what the potential of the market really is.
The session was hosted by Businessworld Senior Editor-Media Vanita Kohli and the panel comprised Mindshare Fulcrum Central Asia MD Vikram Sakuja, Reliance Infocomm head marketing Kaushik Roy and Leo Entertainment general manager Sanjay Bhutiani.
The need was highlighted by stressing that advertisements on television need not necessarily work, because the viewers invariably switch over channels or mute the sound when commercials crop up during shows and even cricket matches. On the other hand, a viewer is glued to his theatre seat no matter what the situation in the film.
Through the session it was opined that India has not come a long way in brand placements in films. Considering that one of the successful placements – Rajdoot GTS came in Raj Kapoor’s Bobby, way back in the early 70s. Questions that were dwelled on were that how could we make a laughing stock of ourselves in a film like Yaadein by showing Jackie Shroff dancing with a Coke can in his hand? Does anybody hold a Coke can and start dancing for ten minutes, it was queried.
Some movies where successful in film placements would have worked were Baghban and Jism. Clever thought process could have brought a placement ad of ICICI Life Insurance when Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini walk on the beach with sadness in their eyes, hand in hand, their sons having deserted them. A condoms ad could have been well placed in a movie like Jism, it was argued.
There could be certain barriers in such cases, because of uncertainties whether a film would run or not, unrealistic pricing, exaggerated expectations from the advertiser and lack of professionalism (like scenes being written at the eleventh hour, delay in release, etc). But if both – filmmakers and advertisers – take one step towards each other and realise that this relationship could be symbiotic, it would make a lot of sense.
Realising the win-win situation, if film-makers can allow
subtle advertising in their projects, there is no need why this
market would not flourish in Bollywood – like it does in Hollywood.
A slow beginning has been made in films like Khakee (Thums Up), Baghban (ICICI), Road (Tata Safari), but a long journey remains to be traversed.
Bollywood and brands can create magic, the panel concluded.
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
