iWorld
Jagjit Singh Kohli returns with connected TV app Free TV
MUMBAI: Indian cable TV pioneer Jagjit Singh Kohli is back. This time he is doing the tango with the world of streaming and connected TV apps. The entrepreneur has used the celebration of Guru Nanak’s birthday on 15 November to announce the launch of Tango Plus Services and its “transformative Free TV app for the connected TV universe.”
The new app, currently available through select ISP partners, will be made available on Google Play Store, Apple App Store, Samsung Tizen, and LG Web OS within the next few weeks.
The free TV app is set to revolutionise the way consumers access and interact with television content, offering a seamless, subscription-free, and diverse entertainment experience for millions globally, says a release from the company. The app will be made available on mobile app stores by end November.
Tango TV’s Free TV, the press release states, has a thousand plus free-to-air live channels, replicating the traditional cable/DTH interface but with added convenience and flexibility. From news to sports, lifestyle to infotainment, users can access a wide array of live TV content with an intuitive channel guide and easy navigation. It offers 20,000 plus free movies in multiple languages, Free TV, says it will cater to every movie buffs’ taste.
Users can pause, rewind, or fast-forward content, ensuring they enjoy the best in entertainment at their own pace. All movies will be made available in 4K resolution, offering a cinematic experience without the premium cost. It will offer a global range of specially curated series and music, offering diverse genres and stories from international creators. To top that, Tango TV has integrated educational resources that are both fun and informative. Students from nursery to Class XII can access study materials, learning videos, tutorials, and more—bridging the gap between entertainment and education.
Says Tango TV managing director JS Kohli: “We are incredibly excited to introduce Tango TV to the global market. Our mission has always been to deliver innovative, accessible, and high-quality digital solutions, and with the launch of Tango TV, we are setting a new benchmark in the entertainment industry. This app is a game-changer, offering consumers a free, seamless, and enriching viewing experience that aligns perfectly with today’s digital-first lifestyle. We believe Tango TV will not only revolutionise how users access content, but also create new opportunities for businesses to engage with their audiences in meaningful ways. As we continue to innovate and expand, we look forward to shaping the future of entertainment alongside our partners and users.”
Kohli adds that for businesses and partners, Free TV offers built in free access to premium entertainment which can be seamlessly integrated and delivered to customers at no extra cost. A unique revenue-sharing model has been built in to the service.
“By offering premium content or exclusive features, businesses can tap into new income streams without sacrificing the core value of free entertainment. The revenue-sharing model is designed to benefit partners, giving them the opportunity to monetise Tango TV’s access to a vast content library while keeping the service free for users. This opens up opportunities for brands, telecom providers, smart TV manufacturers, ISPs, cable operators, and other stakeholders to tap into a new, scalable revenue source,” he reveals.
He is also quite gung-ho about the premium Tango TV Plus app which he says will offer exclusive ad-free content in terms of TV shows, movies and series, not accessible on the free version, along with additional features such as personalised recommendations, cloud storage, and more.
Gaming
Bluestone FY26 revenue rises to Rs 2,436 crore, turns profitable
Q4 profit at Rs 31 crore, full-year profit at Rs 13 crore vs loss last year.
MUMBAI: From sparkle to numbers, Bluestone seems to be polishing more than just jewellery this year. Bluestone Jewellery and Lifestyle Limited reported a sharp turnaround in FY26, with revenue from operations rising to Rs 2,436 crore (Rs 24,364 million), up from Rs 1,770 crore (Rs 17,700 million) in FY25. The company posted a full-year profit of Rs 13 crore (Rs 131.79 million), a significant recovery from a loss of Rs 222 crore (Rs 2,218 million) a year ago.
Total income for the year stood at Rs 2,486 crore (Rs 24,860 million), compared to Rs 1,830 crore (Rs 18,300 million) in the previous year, reflecting both topline growth and improved operational momentum.
The March quarter, however, told a more nuanced story. Revenue from operations came in at Rs 681 crore (Rs 6,814 million), down from Rs 748 crore (Rs 7,486 million) in the year-ago period, though higher than Rs 461 crore (Rs 4,613 million) in the preceding December quarter. Net profit for Q4 stood at Rs 31 crore (Rs 311.81 million), compared to Rs 68 crore (Rs 688 million) a year earlier, but a clear reversal from a loss of Rs 51 crore (Rs 512 million) in Q3.
Margins were shaped by higher input costs, with raw material consumption rising to Rs 2,204 crore (Rs 22,043 million) for the full year, alongside employee benefit expenses of Rs 282 crore (Rs 2,824 million) and finance costs of Rs 210 crore (Rs 2,104 million). Other expenses came in at Rs 371 crore (Rs 3,715 million), slightly lower than Rs 393 crore (Rs 3,938 million) in FY25.
On the balance sheet front, total assets expanded to Rs 4,961 crore (Rs 49,610 million) as of March 31, 2026, from Rs 3,532 crore (Rs 35,322 million) a year earlier, driven largely by a surge in inventories to Rs 2,672 crore (Rs 26,718 million). Equity also strengthened to Rs 1,803 crore (Rs 18,030 million), nearly doubling from Rs 911 crore (Rs 9,107 million).
Cash flows reflected the cost of growth. Net cash used in operating activities stood at Rs 199 crore (Rs 1,990 million), while investing activities saw an outflow of Rs 239 crore (Rs 2,392 million). Financing activities, however, generated Rs 497 crore (Rs 4,971 million), helping the company end the year with cash and cash equivalents of Rs 108 crore (Rs 1,075 million), up from Rs 49 crore (Rs 487 million).
Earnings per share for FY26 came in at Rs 1.10, a sharp improvement from a negative Rs 79.74 in FY25, underlining the shift from losses to profitability.
With revenue scaling up, costs still glittering on the higher side, and profitability finally back in the black, BlueStone’s FY26 performance suggests a business mid-transition less about shine alone, and more about sustaining it.
