GECs
Red Arrow Studios International inks deals for new formats
Mumbai: Red Arrow Studios International has signed a wave of international deals for titles in its latest format slate, including the relationship format Love for the Ages, the new social experiment series Old People’s Home for Teenagers, and the new factual entertainment format Hold the Front Page.
Love for the Ages, a new take on the relationship format originally produced by Kinetic Content for Tplus (US), has been optioned by ZPR Media (Poland) and Banijay in a multi-territory deal covering the Nordics, Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands, and France. The show sees three middle-aged married couples, each at a crossroads in their relationships, attempt to inject some youthful energy back into their lives by swapping their spouses for partners 20 years younger. Love for the Ages premieres on Tplus on 15 December, 2022.
Additionally, the format of Old People’s Home for Teenagers, the new social experiment series originally produced by Endemol Shine Australia for ABC Australia, has been optioned by Banijay for Spain and by Klima Media for Poland. The series, one of the most successful factual entertainment series for the ABC in Australia this year, is a spinoff of the multi-award-winning series, Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds, a CPL Productions format that has already been adapted by Banijay companies in territories including Spain and Australia and has just received a commission in Poland, where it will be produced by Klima Media for PULS TV.
The fun new factual entertainment format, Hold the Front Page has also been optioned by Aller for Finland and Nexiko for Sweden. Originally produced by CPL Productions for Sky Max and NOW (UK), the format sees two celebrities set off around the country in search of scoops, scandals, and surprising stories as they explore the unique and often sensational world of local news. Hold the Front Page will premiere in the UK in 2023.
Red Arrow Studios International MD Tim Gerhartz said, “As we continue bringing noisy, edgy, and unique content to the market, it’s fantastic to have secured new homes with leading broadcasters and partners for some of our latest titles. We’re looking forward to seeing new local partners bring their own versions of our buzzy format Love for the Ages, the compelling social experiment Old People’s Home for Teenagers, and the fun new factual entertainment format Hold the Front Page to viewers around the world.
Banijay global head of content development James Townley said, “We are eager to bring Love for the Ages to the Nordics, Portugal, Italy, France, and the Netherlands, with each of our talented local teams able to add their own feel to this format, as they explore intergenerational relationships and offer fresh insight into relationships at all stages. It is also great to see our territories, such as Spain, build on the success of Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds with its teenage spinoff.”
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.
