GECs
Sahara to transfer broadcasting operations to listed firm
MUMBAI: Sahara Group will be transferring the broadcast operations of its entertainment channels to the listed company, Sahara One Media & Entertainment.
This is part of the commitment made to C Sivasankaran and BCCL (Times Group holding company Bennet Coleman & Co Ltd) when they acquired stakes in Sahara One Media & Entertainment last year, a source familiar with the deal says. While Sivasankaran’s Aircel Televentures (later renamed Siva Ventures) picked up 14.98 per cent for Rs 1.2 billion, BCCL acquired close to 6 per cent stake in the company.
The broadcast operations are currently under Sahara India TV Network, a division of Sahara India Commercial Corporation Ltd. “The plan is for the listed company to also have the broadcast operations under it,” says the source.
The transfer will mean that Sahara One Media & Entertainment will be able to capture the advertising revenues from the two existing channels, Sahara One and Filmy. The company currently earns from the programming it licenses to Sahara India TV Network and from its motion pictures business.
“Sahara One will be able to capture the full part of the value chain. The entire infrastructure will be under one company,” says the source.
The cost of running the channels including transponders and carriage fee will, thus, come under Sahara One Media & Entertainment. But there would be no transfer of the assets and liabilities of Sahara India TV Network. “The idea is to start with a clean slate and then build the broadcasting value,” says the source. “Under the current system, Sahara One does not run any commercial risk in the TV business as it produces content and passes it on to the channel on a cost-plus-commission basis,” he adds.
Sahara’s news channel business also has a separate broadcasting arm and is under Sahara India TV Network (2). Sahara runs six news channels – in the national, regional and city-centric space.
Meanwhile, the Sahara One Media & Entertainment board has approved raising of resources up to $ 20 million through foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs).
“This will be used to meet the company’s working capital and content acquisition requirements,” says the source. Earlier, Sahara One had planned to come up with a provision to raise up to $50 million as it was at that stage in talks to acquire an equity in Ten Sports. Later Zee Group bought a 50 per cent stake in the sports channel for $57 million.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
