GECs
Kannada film talks postponed; Non-Kannada films to release next week
BANGALORE: The 9 November meeting between Karnataka CM Dharam Singh and the representatives of the Film Federation of India (FFI) has been postponed since the former is busy with cabinet expansion work. A fresh date will be announced later.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Indian film industry which had threatened embargos against Kannada filmdom is, for the moment, satisfied with the Supreme Court (SC) and the Karnataka High Court (HC) verdicts against the moratorium and have decided not to participate in the FFI meeting with the CM.
The Hindi film producers have decided to directly release Veer Zara and Naach on coming Friday – 12 November, since the local distributors are a part of an out-of-court settlement of a three week moratorium with the Kannada Film fraternity. Aitraaz, Manthan (Tamil), the Sudeep starrer Kannada film Nalia are some of the other Indian films slated for release on the same day.
The Karnataka Film Chambers of Commerce (KFCC) has in the meantime urged the state Government to release the Rs.50 million sanctioned for subsidy to Kannada Films, saying that over 60 Kannada films are due for subsidy since 2002. The films entitled for the subsidy have to be short-listed as yet. Since the moratorium has no legal standing as is evidenced by the SC and the HC verdicts, the KFCC also plans to work out an informal pact with the FFI to help the Kannada film industry and are yet hopeful of implementation of the moratorium.
The KFCC also feels that though the JAC has decided not to take part in a meeting with the CM over the moratorium, they are still bound abide by any decision taken by the FFI which is the apex body.
GECs
Sahara One reports financial results, notes director exit and business realignment
Muted revenues, steady expenses and strategic adjustments shape company’s current phase
MUMBAI: In a tale where the sands seem to be slipping faster than they can be gathered, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited has reported another quarter of wafer-thin income and widening losses, even as a boardroom exit adds to the unease.
The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that its board, in a meeting held on April 4, approved its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The numbers paint a stark picture. Total income for the quarter stood at just Rs 0.13 lakh, unchanged sequentially and sharply down from Rs 0.26 lakh a year earlier.
Losses, meanwhile, deepened. The company posted a net loss of Rs 24.16 lakh for the quarter, compared to Rs 18.81 lakh in the June quarter and Rs 39.69 lakh in the same period last year. For the six months ended September 2025, the cumulative loss stood at Rs 39.69 lakh, while the full-year loss for FY25 was reported at Rs 60.72 lakh.
Expenses continued to outweigh income by a wide margin. Total expenses for the quarter came in at Rs 24.30 lakh, led by employee benefit costs of Rs 6.51 lakh and other expenses of Rs 17.78 lakh. Earnings per share remained in the red at Rs (0.11) for the quarter.
The balance sheet reflects a company with significant assets on paper but limited operational momentum. Total assets stood at Rs 23,065.57 lakh as of September 30, 2025, broadly unchanged from March 2025. Equity share capital remained steady at Rs 2,152.50 lakh, while total equity was reported at Rs 18,004.85 lakh.
Cash and cash equivalents saw a modest uptick to Rs 6.75 lakh from Rs 4.68 lakh earlier, supported by a positive operating cash flow of Rs 180.01 lakh for the period.
Yet, beneath these numbers lies a more complex narrative. The company’s auditors flagged their inability to obtain sufficient evidence to form a conclusion on the financial statements, citing lack of access to records. They also raised concerns over the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, pointing to insufficient funds, delayed recoveries, and stalled content investments.
Adding to the governance overhang, the company disclosed that Rana Zia has resigned as whole-time director, effective October 16, 2025, citing other professional commitments. The resignation, noted and accepted by the board, also brings an end to her role across company committees.
Regulatory pressures continue to loom large. The Securities and Exchange Board of India has already initiated penal actions for non-compliance with listing norms, with trading in the company’s shares remaining suspended. There is also a risk of promoter demat accounts being frozen.
Legacy legal issues remain unresolved. A substantial deposit of Rs 694,027.88 thousand linked to the long-running OFCD dispute involving Sahara group entities is still under the purview of the Supreme Court of India. Restrictions on asset disposal continue to weigh on the company’s financial flexibility.
Operationally, challenges persist across multiple fronts. Advances worth Rs 1,92,916 thousand given for film content remain stuck, with delays in project completion and uncertain recoverability. The company’s YouTube channel, despite being operational, has generated no revenue for over three years due to compliance lapses. In a further twist, management has indicated that revenues may have been fraudulently diverted through unauthorised changes to its AdSense account, with a police complaint in the works.
There are also missed revenue opportunities. Television content rights continue to be used by a related party despite the expiry of the licence agreement, with fresh negotiations still underway.
For now, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited appears caught between legacy disputes and present-day operational hurdles. As losses linger and governance questions mount, the road to recovery looks less like a sprint and more like a slow trudge through shifting sands.
