Cable TV
Sahara One programming head Kumud Chowdhary quits
MUMBAI: Sahara One Television programming head (fiction) Kumud Chowdhary has put in her papers. Chowdhary joined Sahara One in January 2004 from Star, where she was commissioning editor.
Confirming the development to Indiantelevision.com, Sahara One Television COO Purnendu Bose said, “Yes, Kumud has put in her papers today. She has done a terrific job here for the last two years and is moving on to pursue her personal aspirations. We wish her all the best.”
Chowdhary said that she was moving to pursue other things. When queried as to what her next destination was, she remained noncommittal, saying it was too soon to talk about it and “nothing was final as yet.”
In her tenure at Sahara One Television as programming head, Chowdhary was instrumental in bringing on board shows like Woh Rehne Waali Mehlon Ki, Hare Kaanch Ki Choodiyan, Kituu Sabb Jantii Hai, Kohinoor and Saath Rahega Always. “These shows have brought a lot of credibility to the channel and has brought Sahara One in synch with the other players in the industry,” Chowdhary said.
Chowdhary had joined Sahara One when post the restructuring of Sahara’s media and entertainment business under a joint venture management company with Percept, Sahara Media and Entertainment vice president programming Triptii Sharma put in her papers in late 2003. Chowdhary was brought in to step into Sharma’s shoes.
MUMBAI: When margins wobble, liquidity talks and in Q3 FY25-26, cash did most of the talking. Den Networks Limited closed the December quarter with consolidated revenue of Rs.251 crore, marginally higher than the previous quarter but down 4 per cent year-on-year, even as profitability stayed resilient on the back of strong cash reserves and disciplined cost control.
Subscription income softened to Rs.98 crore, slipping 3 per cent sequentially and 14 per cent from last year, while placement and marketing income offered some cheer, rising 15 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs.148 crore. Total costs climbed faster than revenue, up 7 per cent QoQ to Rs.238 crore, driven largely by higher content costs and operating expenses. As a result, EBITDA dropped sharply to Rs.13 crore from Rs.19 crore in Q2 and Rs.28 crore a year ago, pulling margins down to 5 per cent.
Yet, the bottom line refused to blink. Profit after tax stood at Rs.40 crore, up 15 per cent sequentially and only marginally lower than last year’s Rs.42 crore. A healthy Rs.57 crore in other income helped cushion operating pressure, keeping profit before tax at Rs.48 crore, broadly stable quarter-on-quarter despite the tougher cost environment.
The real headline-grabber, however, sits on the balance sheet. The company remains debt-free, with cash and cash equivalents swelling to Rs.3,279 crore as of December 31, 2025. Net worth rose to Rs.3,748 crore, while online collections accounted for 97 per cent of total receipts, underscoring strong cash discipline across operations, including subsidiaries.
In short, while Q3 showed signs of operating strain, the financial backbone remains solid. With zero gross debt, steady profits and a formidable cash war chest, the company enters the next quarter with flexibility firmly on its side proving that in uncertain markets, balance sheet strength can be the best growth strategy.
