Cable TV
Premium VAS: Shemaroo, Hathway tie up
MUMBAI: Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd, one of the leading content owners, is joining hands with Hathway, one of the largest cable networks to change the dynamics of TV viewing in India.
For the first time now, the audience can enjoy premium paid ad-free services on cable TV. A platter of popular services namely Miniplex, Comedywalas, Om Shakti, Ibaadat, Lamhe Movies and Yippee are now available on cable TV as well.
As part of the launch, the said services are offered free to the consumers for the first month, ushering them with an experience of next generation TV viewing. Post this period, these services will be available at different price points.
Shemaroo director Hiren Gada said, “This is a big leap, not only for Shemaroo but for the industry as well. Shemaroo Entertainment has always been among the pioneers when it comes to changing technology and consumer needs and adapting the same to reach and better serve our audience.”
He also added, “Having successfully launched a number of VAS (Value added service) services across genres on multiple DTH platforms, Shemaroo Entertainment now expands its reach to cable viewers. Our tie up with Hathway will usher a new era in Cable TV viewing.”
Hathway CEO T. Panesar said, “Shemaroo happens to be the leader in media content with a hold of the largest content library in India. Hathway’s all new Value Added Services – Hathway Special promises to offer the maximum and the best to its subscribers. We are happy to partner with Shemaroo and are confident that with this partnership, we will fulfil our promise by providing quality and the best services to all our subscribers.”
Cable TV
Hathway Cable appoints Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as CEO
Leadership change comes as cable TV faces shrinking subscriber base and modest earnings pressure
MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom has tapped industry veteran Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as chief executive officer, marking a leadership pivot at a time when India’s cable television business is under mounting strain.
Kapoor will take over from Tavinderjit Singh Panesar, who is set to retire in August after a long innings with the company. Panesar, chief executive since 2023, has held multiple leadership roles at Hathway, including his latest stint beginning in 2022.
Kapoor brings more than three decades of experience in media and entertainment. He most recently led distribution at The Walt Disney Company’s Star India business, now part of JioStar. His career spans television distribution and affiliate partnerships, with stints at Sony Pictures Networks India, Discovery Communications and Zee Entertainment.
Panesar, with over three decades in the industry, has worked across strategic planning, distribution and business development in media, broadcasting and manufacturing. His past associations include ESPN Star Sports, Star India, Apollo Tyres and JK Industries.
The transition lands as the cable sector grapples with structural disruption. Traditional operators are losing ground to streaming platforms, while telecom and broadband players tighten the squeeze with bundled offerings.
An EY report estimates India’s pay-TV base could shrink by a further 30 to 40 million households by 2030, taking the total down to 71 to 81 million. The slide follows a loss of nearly 40 million homes between 2018 and 2024, a contraction that has already wiped out more than 37,000 jobs in the local cable operator ecosystem.
Hathway’s numbers reflect the strain. The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 93 crore for FY25, down from Rs 99 crore a year earlier. Revenue inched up to Rs 2,040 crore from Rs 1,981 crore. As of December 2025, it had about 4.7 million cable TV subscribers and roughly 1.02 million broadband users.
Kapoor steps in with a familiar brief but a shrinking playbook. In a market where viewers are cutting cords faster than companies can reinvent them, the new chief executive inherits a business fighting to stay plugged in.
