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Maa TV in revenue share deal with 12 Telugu producers
MUMBAI: In a major strategic shift Telugu channel Maa TV has entered into a revenue sharing arrangement with Telugu film producers to telecast the latest blockbusters. This is in a market where acquiring a blockbuster costs over Rs 10 million per film.
The channel, which is placed in the fourth position in Andhra Pradesh, is adopting a strategy where it plans to hit rival networks with a Thursday premiere movie. Market leaders Gemini and ETV telecast popular soaps during that prime time slot.
Maa TV has so far remained underdogs in the market with a weak mix of programming; primarily musical, chat and news, and current affairs shows. The channel has stayed away from soaps as a strategy.
“In Telugu, Gemini serials are very strong. To break this daily serial sequence, we wanted something different. We are relying on blockbusters and latest movies to give others a fight,” says Maa TV executive director Rajendra Prasad.
Prasad says Maa TV has signed a minimum guarantee agreement with 12 Telugu film producers. The agreement is valid for a period of two to five years and the channel pays the producer Rs 2 to Rs 6 million, depending on the movie and the time period.
“Once the agreement expires, the producer can either renew the contract or go out of it. But if they decide to sell the movie rights, we have the first right of refusal,” says Prasad, adding that the channel has also acquired perpetual rights to some movies.
According to Telugu film market sources, approximately 150 movies get released every year. The cost of TV acquisition rights to a blockbuster movie ranges from Rs.10 million to Rs 15 million. For an above average box office performer, the cost varies from Rs 4 million to Rs 7 million and a normal movie costs in the range of Rs 2.5 million to Rs 3.5 million.
Sun Network acquires a majority of movies released in Telugu every year to telecast in its two channels Gemini and Teja, followed by ETV.
Maa TV claims that its experiment to telecast new movies in the Thursday prime time slot (7 pm to 11 pm), which it launched on 13 January, has already met with success. The channel says its telecast of the blockbuster movie Satya on 27 January got top ratings during that time slot, ahead even of Gemini.
Maa TV is expected to telecast 20 new movies including blockbusters in the coming weeks. Some of the big movies the channel has lined up include Dhanu51, Radha Gopalam, Yevadi Gola Vadide, Manasu Maata Vinadu and Anand. Among these, Radha Gopalam and Manasu Maata Vinadu are slated for release this month.
To improve its position in the market, Maa TV is also betting on events. The channel is conducting the 2005 edition of its mega star event Tollywood cricket trophy on 13 February. The channel has roped in Lifebuoy as main sponsor and Head & Shoulders, IOC and Andhra Bank are co-sponsors. It expects to rake in Rs 15 million as profit from the event on an expenditure of Rs 35 million. The channel has also lined up a Ms Andhra Contest for the third week of March. On 10 April, Maa TV is celebrating its third anniversary with a star night event.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
