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Lucky Ali, Asha Parekh and Jeenat Aman at ABP Network’s ‘Ideas of India’ Summit 2023
Mumbai: The ABP Network’s “Ideas of India” Summit 2023 was discussing the topic of “Life at the Movies, Revisiting the Magic & Sunoh”. Lucky Ali In Words and Music The summit has brought together policymakers, cultural ambassadors, industry experts, celebrities, and business leaders to discuss the critical role of India during the global churn and changing dynamics. ABP Network is a multi-language channel reaching 535 million individuals in India therefore this summit provides one of the biggest platforms across various sectors to express their views.
“If people keep calling for bans then the film industry will die. Pathan was not censored when controversy around the song erupted. Censorboad should be in every house and parents should keep a look on their children about what they are watching.” said actress and film producer Asha Parekh.
When sharing her insight on working in films again, actress Jeenat Aman said, “I would be happy to take any age appropriate role.”
“We are a very gentle nation, that’s very different from the rest of the world. We are living in a fool’s paradise. We have all the technologies that we need, we have the manpower but you don’t put it together in the right way. It’s not motivated. We can change so many things and we just don’t do it because we are not motivated to do it” said Ali on his idea of India.
Talking about his upcoming albums, Ali said, “I’ve got 80-90 songs on my hard drive. It will happen when it has to happen”: He further said his songs come from any feeling he experienced at the time when he penned it.
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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.
